Health Communications, Inc. (HCI), the providers of the TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) Program, is pleased to announce that Penn National Gaming, Inc. has been selected as a recipient of the 2019 TIPS Award of Excellence. This is an award bestowed by Health Communication's President & CEO, Adam Chafetz, and is given to organizations that repeatedly demonstrate a commitment to preventing the misuse of alcohol in the communities in which they operate and promote responsible consumption by properly training employees in the TIPS program. This is the 7th year TIPS will be presenting this award.
While nine other companies received the award in 2019, Penn National is one of only two recipients in the casino and gaming category. The Company is the nation's largest regional casino gaming operator, with 41 properties in 19 jurisdictions and over 28,000 employees. All relevant Penn National team members, including but not limited to servers, table games and slot staff, security, valets, and supervisors, are certified in the TIPS for Gaming program or other state specific programs. Since 2003, nearly 40,000 employees have received TIPS training, and currently over 8,800 team members have active certifications, including 40 TIPS certified trainers. According to Mr. Chafetz, "Penn National has continually demonstrated a commitment to their guests and the communities where they reside."
The TIPS for Gaming program is tailored specifically for casinos. The primary goal of TIPS for Gaming is to build skills, instill confidence, and empower casino employees to intervene in alcohol-related situations and ensure that alcohol is sold responsibly and legally.Employees and managers who are certified in TIPS are able to prevent sales to minors, recognize signs of intoxication, effectively intervene to prevent problem situations, and handle refusal situations with greater confidence.
"We are delighted and honored to be recognized for this award," said Jim Baldacci, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer for Penn National. "We are committed to encouraging a responsible service environment and the TIPS program has been a valuable tool in helping our team members build the skills necessary to meet this commitment to our communities."
About Health Communications, Inc.
Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) was founded in 1982 by the Health Education Foundation and Dr. Morris Chafetz, founding director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. HCI is a nationally recognized expert in the field of alcohol server training. Over 5 million people worldwide have been certified in the TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) program. Proven effective by third-party studies, TIPS is a skills-based training program designed to prevent intoxication, underage drinking, and drunk driving. TIPS offers seven programs that address the unique environments where alcohol is served, sold, and consumed, including On Premise, Off Premise, Concessions, Gaming, University, Seniors, and Workplace.
