The CMD Framework

Gambling-adjacent behaviors are evolving rapidly, appearing across collecting, live commerce, digital gaming, speculative markets, and other high-stimulation environments that do not always fit neatly within traditional prevention or treatment models. The CMD Framework is designed to help organizations better understand these emerging behaviors, recognize the risks they can create, and bring proven education, support, harm-reduction, and referral pathways into their communities without having to build a response from scratch.

Developed In Partnership With The Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado

Bring A Modern Response to Gambling-Adjacent Harm Into Your Community

The CMD Framework is a customizable partnership model that helps councils, coalitions, treatment providers, prevention organizations, and other community partners address compulsive collecting, overspending, and emerging gambling-adjacent behaviors without having to build a response from scratch.

The Landscape Is Changing

Collecting, gaming, shopping, gambling, and speculative behavior are becoming increasingly interconnected.

Card breaks. Mystery products. Livestream commerce. Digital collectibles. Gaming. Prediction markets. High-risk investing.

Not all of these activities are “gambling”, but many can involve similar elements of uncertainty, anticipation, reward, urgency, and repeated spending.

The challenge is that people experiencing harm do not always identify with traditional gambling language or know where to turn for support.

The CMD Framework helps organizations meet people where they actually are.

What Is The CMD Framework?

The CMD Framework gives organizations access to the language, education, programming, resources, and support infrastructure Collectors MD has developed in partnership with The Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado around compulsive collecting and gambling-adjacent behavior.

Rather than creating a one-size-fits-all program, we work with partners to adapt the framework to their existing community and services.

A partnership can include:

Structured curriculum & workbooks
Participant & facilitator resources
Support programming
Facilitator education & training
Prevention & awareness materials
Harm-reduction tools
Recovery & referral pathways
Customized branding & messaging
Ongoing strategic support

The Framework In Action: Unboxed

Exploring a Healthier Relationship with Collecting

Developed by the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado in partnership with Collectors MD, Unboxed is the first state-level implementation of The CMD Framework and demonstrates how the model can be adapted into a localized program.

The result is a comprehensive 10-session curriculum, supported by dedicated Participant and Facilitator Guides.

The 10 Sessions

Orientation & Foundations
Understanding your relationship with collecting.
Behavioral Addictions & Compulsive Collecting
Understanding reward, anticipation, and the collecting cycle.
Triggers & Emotional Drivers
Recognizing what may sit beneath the urge.
Skills for Urge Management
Building practical strategies for responding differently.
Cognitive Distortions
Identifying and challenging unhelpful thinking patterns.
Shame, Guilt & Forgiveness
Working through the emotional impact of harmful behavior.
Money & Financial Recovery
Building healthier spending habits and financial stability.
Relationships & Repair
Strengthening communication, accountability, and trust.
Values-Based Living
Aligning everyday decisions with what matters most.
Recovery Pathways & Personal Recovery Plan
Creating an individualized plan for long-term progress.

Designed for Real-World Use

The curriculum goes beyond education.

Participants work through:

Reflection exercises
Interactive worksheets
Trigger and urge tracking
Financial recovery tools
Relationship exercises
Values exploration
Between-session practice
Personal recovery planning

The program is designed to help participants build greater awareness, practical skills, and a healthier relationship with collecting.

Recovery Does Not Look the Same for Everyone

The CMD Framework does not assume that every participant has the same goal.

Depending on the individual, recovery may include:

Responsible Collecting
Responsible Investing
Harm Reduction
Abstinence
Still Exploring

The goal is to help people better understand their behavior and determine what a healthier path forward looks like for them.

One Framework. Localized For Your Community.

Unboxed is one example of what The CMD Framework can become. Your implementation may look different.

We work with partners to build around their existing:

Prevention efforts
Treatment network
Peer-support infrastructure
Community needs
State or regional resources
Brand and organizational identity

You bring the local infrastructure. We bring the framework. Together, we build the bridge.

Who Is The CMD Framework For?

The CMD Framework can be adapted for:

State Problem Gambling Councils & Coalitions
Treatment Providers
Behavioral Health Organizations
Prevention Organizations
Youth & Family Programs
Community & Public Health Partners

Bring The CMD Framework To Your Community

If your organization is seeing individuals or families affected by compulsive collecting, overspending, card breaks, mystery products, live commerce, or other gambling-adjacent behaviors, we’d love to explore what a localized implementation could look like.

Interested in exploring a partnership? Reach out at info@collectorsmd.com.

Flexible. Localized. Community-informed. Built on lived experience, education, harm reduction, and recovery.