Living Tobacco Free is a Partners Wellness Program designed to encourage, support, and equip tobacco users in their efforts to quit, and to link them to treatment providers and community, and create awareness across communities in their efforts to quit tobacco use. This is in alignment with the Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) approach to tobacco reduction statewide. For more information, see the program overview at the bottom of this page.
Partners is offering training, events, and resources to help support providers in their implementation of the NC Tobacco-Free Policy requirement that goes into effect for NC Standard and Tailored Plan providers on April 1, 2023 (click link below to review requirement).
***Visit this page often to stay updated on all things Tobacco-Free at Partners!***
IMPORTANT RESOURCES/LINKS
- Providers can visit BreatheEasyNC.org for technical assistance and training on tobacco-free policy implementation and evidence-based tobacco use treatment and contact their county’s regional or local tobacco control staff directly. They can assist with every step of this process.
- QuitlineNC for Health Professionals – Tobacco Treatment Standard of Care
https://quitlinenc.dph.ncdhhs.gov/health-professionals/tobacco-treatment-standard-of-care.html
- Million Hearts National Initiative
https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/tools-protocols/action-guides/tobacco-change-package/index.html
- ALA Tobacco Cessation Billing Guide
https://www.lung.org/getmedia/08ed3536-6bab-48a6-a4e4-e6dbccaea024/billing-guide-for-tobacco-1.pdf.pdf
PROVIDER TRAININGS FOR TOBACCO USE TREATMENT & TOBACCO-FREE POLICIES
Below is a list of trainings. There are recorded trainings that you are free to use on demand, upcoming FREE live trainings, and nationally accredited tobacco use treatment specialist trainings and scholarships. As always, your regional tobacco control staff are also available to provide or set up trainings for provider agencies.
Recorded Trainings:
Providing a Tobacco Free Culture of Care (3 hrs)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-xd6LMLk_H-9xBfdSbrmDTVFx6tKbHMT/view?usp=sharing
Taking Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services Tobacco-Free: A Success Story from Maryland (1 hr) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jx0fxP1vmxhDEk4_StT3ET3TDCBZz4w5/view?usp=sharing
Partners Living Tobacco Free Provider Kickoff Event recorded Tuesday 10/18/22 (2 hrs)
https://youtu.be/gbKm61Xd_Bo?t=55
Includes great line-up of speakers and topics designed to help providers prepare to implement State guidelines around tobacco free campuses and incorporate evidence-based tobacco cessation treatment by April 1, 2023. Many providers may know Joyce Swetlick at DHHS, Stephanie Gans, Carlene Crawford, and others on the Tobacco Prevention and Control team. Watch their presentations on the topics listed below and learn about Partners Living Tobacco Free Wellness Program.
- Overview- Partners Living Tobacco Free Wellness Initiative- Supporting providers through the process
- The Why/Buy In
- Roadmap for providers
- 1-2 provider testimonials
- The Quitline experience
- Incorporating Evidence-Based Treatment into your program (Screening, Brief interventions, Billing)
- Changes in the environment (signs, conversion of smoking areas to wellness, …)
- Wrap-up and Q&A
Other Training Opportunities:
BreatheEasyNC has several upcoming trainings, click the link below.
https://breatheeasync.org/tobacco-use-treatment-integration-training/#Training_Staff
Duke-UNC Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training
November 7-15, 2022
Virtual on 4-half days during that 2-week period, with some pre-course modules.
The Duke-UNC Comprehensive TTS Program combines findings from the most current evidence-based research on pharmacotherapy, population-based issues, practical guidance on running a practice, and targeted skills in tobacco dependence counseling. Through a combination of interactive, virtual sessions and online self-paced training, Duke-UNC TTS offers leading-edge, evidence-based continuing education in a fun and engaging online experience.
The participants receive 28.75 CEU credits and the requisite training to apply to be a Nationally Certified Tobacco use Treatment Provider (NCTTP) through NAADAC.
In-Depth Tobacco Use Treatment Training Scholarships Available! Learn more at dukeunctts.com.
Scholarship opportunities:
Are you a health or behavioral health professional who primarily serves North Carolinians who experience tobacco-related health inequities? (Ex: people with behavioral health conditions, Medicaid beneficiaries, tribe members, and more). If so, you might be eligible for a scholarship for these sought-after trainings:
Scholarship application deadlines:
Nov. Duke-UNC Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training – Apply by Oct 10
Intensive Behavioral Approaches to Tobacco Use Treatment – Apply by Nov 1
Tobacco Dependence Pharmacotherapy – Apply by Nov 6
*Make sure you are certain you can attend the trainings on the day and time they are scheduled before you apply!*
Fill out the brief scholarship application here.
Justice in the Air: Framing for Tobacco-Free Behavioral Health Initiatives – Charlotte AHEC- free webinar with CEUS. Available October 6, 2022- October 5, 2024
https://www.charlotteahec.org/event/69522
Media kit materials: brochures, handouts, graphics, etc. for providers to use in practice
- NEW Resource Available! FREE Tobacco-Free Campus SIGNS
Any agency that needs new or updated tobacco-free policy signage can contact Natalie Thompson nrthompson@dconc.gov for free signs. These metal signs clearly show all of the types of products that are covered by the policy (combustible, smokeless, and vapes) and designate the area as tobacco-free. Signs will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, so be sure to contact Natalie if you need these free signs! - Policy Templates and Signs
https://breatheeasync.org/policy-templates-signage/ - Materials and Communication tools – Mecknc.gov/Tobacco Free Mecklenburg
https://www.mecknc.gov/HealthDepartment/CommunityHealthServices/TobaccoFreeMecklenburg/Pages/Communication-Tools.aspx
Partners Health Management Living Tobacco Free Wellness Program Overview
Living Tobacco Free is a Partners Health Management prevention and population health program designed to prevent, reduce and stop tobacco use in all forms. This plan aims to address member and recipient tobacco-related health concerns through education, support, treatment, resources and access to QuitlineNC. Living Tobacco Free is a program that can support tobacco users, treating providers and communities in their efforts to quit.
Living Tobacco Free will target members and recipients who use tobacco across our service area. Partners recognizes that tobacco use contributes to chronic conditions. For that reason, we have chosen Living Tobacco Free as one of our initiatives to improve health. Tobacco use causes disease and illness in nearly every organ in the body. Despite significant progress, tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States and North Carolina. Tobacco cessation can save lives and improve overall health.
The goals of Living Tobacco Free include:
- Wellness and Prevention – Reduction of tobacco in all forms, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco and vaping pens with specific targets for members/recipients with behavioral health (BH), intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
- Wellness and Recovery Management – Manage and reduce risk of members’ tobacco-related health conditions through the use and completion of the QuitlineNC program.
- Safety Across Settings – Promote tobacco free campuses at contracted facilities, in alignment with the Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) approach to tobacco reduction.
- Manage multiple chronic conditions – Increase the percentage of members who receive medical assistance with smoking and tobacco use cessation (National Committee for Quality Assurance [NCQA] Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set [HEDIS] measure) using three components:
- Advising smokers and tobacco users to quit
- Discussing cessation medications
- Discussing cessation strategies