KAITLIN BROWN’S WORK cellphone has an obscenely loud ringtone, and when it goes off during the day, it routinely startles her and her 2-year-old daughter, Emilia. The phone is always there — on the counter in front of her, on the couch beside her, even on the changing table if there’s a new diaper necessary.
In early December, her phone rings and shows a caller ID that sends her rushing to pick up as soon as humanly possible. “CCPG HELPLINE,” it says.
Brown, 36, is the exact person you want answering a problem gambling help line. A licensed counselor for drug, alcohol and gambling addiction, she’s a 14-year veteran working in addiction services, including the past five at the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. As a little girl, she attended 12-step meetings with her dad as he tried to get sober (he did), and has seen the ravages of addiction elsewhere in her family, too. She’s hesitant to talk about herself, but she has the perfect blend of empathy and fierceness to deal with people struggling with addiction.
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