Tobacco Recovery & Wellness Initiative
Tobacco use is common among Philadelphians receiving care in behavioral health services. Many believe that smoking is a helpful way to cope with stress or to bond with peers.
“Having a rough day? Light up and talk about it. You’ll feel better.” Many in drug recovery have come to believe that we need to smoke or vape to manage cravings for other substances. “It’s legal and doesn’t get us intoxicated, so it can’t be a problem.” In addition, some of us believe that it’s impossible to stop using tobacco. This thinking, though widespread, is the result of repeated misinformation, reinforced stereotypes, and messaging perpetuated by the tobacco industry.
Philadelphians deserve accurate information to make informed decisions about their physical and mental health.
Community Behavioral Health is committed to providing the community with information about tobacco use.
The CBH tobacco recovery initiative aims to challenge misinformation through community education while supporting our provider network to develop evidence-based tobacco use interventions.
What You Can Do
Follow Best Practice Guidelines
Screen
All members should be asked if they use tobacco products and should have their tobacco use status documented regularly. Once tobacco use is identified, tobacco use history should be assessed. Routine questions about tobacco use and standardized, evidence-based instruments (e.g., questionnaires) should be used to assess tobacco use history.
For more information, see:
Counsel
Intensive interventions combining pharmacotherapy and counseling (behavioral interventions) are more effective for tobacco use abstinence than either pharmacotherapy or counseling alone. Both counseling and pharmacotherapy should be offered to members. Simply encouraging members to stop smoking is insufficient.
For more information, see:
Prescribe
All tobacco users with behavioral health conditions should be offered tobacco use disorder treatment.
For more information, see:
Educate yourself and your staff.
Keep Up To Date with Continuing Education
On-Demand eLearning - Tobacco Recovery in Behavioral Health Services eLearning Series
In this four-part series, you will gain relevant information on the bio-psycho-social aspects of tobacco use disorder, how to provide evidenced-based tobacco use disorder treatment tailored to individuals with mental and other substance use disorders, and understand policies and procedures that are used for providing appropriate and effective tobacco recovery treatments.
Receive Continuing Education Credits for taking any of the following courses:
- The Rationale for Addressing Tobacco Use in Behavioral Health Services
- Tobacco Use Disorder Treatment in Behavioral Health Services
- Tobacco Use Intervention Policy for Behavioral Health Services
- The Intersection of Tobacco Use, Poverty and Behavioral Health Services in Philadelphia
Log into the DBH Learning Hub and look for the “Tobacco Recovery in Behavioral Health Services” series.
Live Webinar Training
In these monthly live presentations and discussions, learn more about the physical, behavioral, and emotional aspects of tobacco use disorder and provide a framework for developing an individualized “tobacco recovery” plan; how tobacco-related health disparities in Philadelphia are a health justice issue linked to poverty, systemic discrimination, industry targeting, and social stigma directed toward residents with behavioral health disorders; develop an understanding that learning tobacco-free coping skills are safe, achievable, contributes to longer-term sobriety, reduce social stigma, and enhances the health and quality of life of people in recovery; and explore the bio-psycho-social aspects of tobacco use disorder specific to individuals with mental and substance use disorders.
Receive 1-2 Continuing Education Credits for each live webinar attended on any of the following topics:
- Learn To Be Tobacco Free
- A Matter of Health Justice: The Intersection of Tobacco Use, Poverty, and Behavioral Health Services in Philadelphia
- Recovery is Recovery – A Program for Peer and Recovery Specialists
- The Rationale: Addressing Tobacco Use in Behavioral Health Service
Look for The Tobacco Recovery in Behavioral Health Series in the BHTEN’s course catalog.
University of Pennsylvania Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training
Four-day virtual training. Successful participants receive a Certificate of Professional Development from the Perelman School of Medicine. They are eligible for certification as Tobacco Treatment Specialists through either the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) or the American Heart Association.
