Norman Alcohol Information Center

In the retirement years, gambling is one of the habits that can become ingrained, along with drinking and “self-medicating” with pills left over from previous illnesses, says H.N. “Sonny” Scott, executive director of Norman’s NAIC Center for Oklahoma Alcohol & Drug Services

Developing problems with gambling, drugs and alcohol represent the tip of an iceberg that lies ahead as Baby Boomers retire and begin to spend their retirement savings, Scott said.

Through the course of the year, people of all ages come to NAIC for help with their drinking, drug and gambling problems.

When the organization was founded by Episcopal priest Dick Virtue in 1972, it was called the Norman Alcohol Information Center, or NAIC. The organization focused on providing information about treatment of alcoholism. It also offered interventions and help in getting treatment.

In the 36 years since its founding, it has grown from a one-man show into a center that tests the limits of its 23,000 square-foot building at 215 W Linn. NAIC’s name also was lengthened to reflect the broader scope of its services.

Now, instead of just information, the agency employs 15 counselors for individual or group sessions and has five people who present prevention programs in local area schools.

The center has an annual budget of $2 million, with 70 percent of that coming from the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and 5 to 7 percent from the United Way. The balance comes from individual payment for services, insurance, Medicaid and donations, Scott said.