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Tobacco Cessation Programs Information or to register: 413-664-5326
The REACH Community Health Foundation sponsors several programs and initiatives the goals of which are to prevent area residents from taking up smoking or to assist smokers in giving up the habit. Smoking and/or chewing tobacco is both a habit and an addiction. REACH addresses these factors in its programming. REACH offers the following tobacco-related programs:
- QuitLinks is a program that helps pregnant woman and women of childbearing age to quit smoking. The program is also concerned about the effects of secondhand smoke on their children.
- Quitters Are Winners is a general smoking cessation program that is offered throughout the year to area residents.
- SASSY is an initiative held in collaboration with Drury High School students that educates fellow students about tobacco use and its health effects.
- END is a train-the-trainer program that is offered periodically to area teachers and students. Its goal is to enable teachers and students to conduct tobacco cessation activities in their respective schools.
QUITLINKS
The need to reduce the smoking rate among pregnant women and mothers with young children is at the crisis point in the Northern Berkshires. Recent statistics show that 28% of women that gave birth at North Adams Regional Hospital were smokers. This compares to a 7-9% rate statewide. Smoking during pregnancy can cause low birth weight and premature delivery. Smoking around small children can cause asthma and higher susceptibility to colds and ear infections.
Through a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, REACH recently introduced QuitLinks, a program to help pregnant women and mothers with young children to quit smoking. QuitLinks is a quit smoking program with the best interests of pregnant women and moms in mind. It offers individual and small group counseling to help moms and moms-to-be quit smoking. QuitLinks also offers support to other family members to create a supportive quitting environment for the mom.
Appointments are available with the Tobacco Treatment Program Coordinator in a setting that best accommodates the mom---the home, the REACH offices or in the community. The Tobacco Treatment Coordinator provides assistance throughout the quitting process, so families can expect ongoing support. QuitLinks offers this outreach to mothers and their families so that quitting smoking can become an attainable reality.
QuitLinks is a free program, open to all women who are pregnant or mothers of young children. There are no income guidelines for this service.
QuitLinks works directly with the Northern Berkshire obstetrician/gynecology providers, pediatricians, and the local WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) office. These providers screen moms and moms-to-be and offer referrals to QuitLinks. In addition, QuitLinks accepts referrals from other area providers that work with families and also welcomes self-referrals from moms.
Collaborators of QuitLinks include: The Healthy Start Partnership, the office of Doctors Hertzig, Gerrity, Griffin & DeGrenier, the Williamstown Medical Associates pediatric and obstetrician/gynecology providers and Northern Berkshire WIC (Women, Infants & Children).
Anyone interested in the QuitLinks program may contact Jennifer Civello, Tobacco Treatment Program Coordinator at 413-664-5567 for more information or to get started on quitting.
QUITTERS ARE WINNERS
Are you ready to quit smoking? The average smoker makes seven attempts before achieving success, but many do it faster! Those who avail themselves of both group support and the assistance of tobacco replacement products such as patches or gum, increase their chances of success.
Quitters Are Winners is a six session tobacco cessation program sponsored by the REACH Community Health Foundation. A trained tobacco treatment specialist helps the group to create a supportive environment which, in turn, helps participants break the tobacco addiction. Each tobacco user who joins the group develops an individual plan for quitting.
Quitters Are Winners provides information about stress management, weight control, and how to prevent or handle relapses. During the classes, the facilitator teaches a step-by-step method for changing behavior and quitting tobacco use. The program addresses positive thinking, changing behaviors, one-on-one help, rewards and group support to help smokers to attain freedom from tobacco use.
The six class series is offered weekly on Tuesday evenings from 6 – 7 PM. The program is limited to 15 participants and pre-registration is required. The registration fee is $30 and includes all program materials. Appropriate nicotine replacement therapies such as gum or patches are available at REACH’s cost. Some insurance plans reimburse attendees for course fees and tobacco replacement products.
For more information or to register, call the REACH Community Health Foundation at (413) 664-5326.
SASSY
SASSY, Students Against Secondhand Smoking in Youth, meets twice monthly at Drury High School. The group meets after school and is led by teachers Becky Cohen and John Moore. Moore is a health teacher; Cohen teaches chemistry.
A Medical Foundation Youth Action Initiative grant administered by the REACH Community Health Foundation is supporting SASSY endeavors. Sharon Leary, Outreach and Communications Coordinator at REACH, is assisting with the project.
SASSY is the second initiative underwritten by the Medical Foundation. Last year a REACH sponsored competition resulted in posters, print ads and television commercials being developed. The goal of the program was to counter advertising done by the tobacco industry.
SASSY has hosted a smoking information table during student arrival times and during lunch periods.
Students that want to quit smoking are referred to the END (Ending Nicotine Dependence) program that REACH initiated recently.
Other activities being planned include a “Kick Butts Day”. SASSY is also planning to produce an “i-movie” in addition to bringing tobacco education activities to younger students in the North Adams School System.
END
“END NICOTINE DEPENDENCE”
- END (Ending Nicotine Dependence) is a train-the-trainer program that is offered periodically to area teachers and students. Its goal is to enable teachers and students to conduct tobacco cessation activities in their respective schools. The REACH Community Health Foundation is able to sponsor this training thanks to the generosity of the Pittsfield Anti-Tuberculosis Association.
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