Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Mental Illness and Tobacco-Free Facilities

From National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control

Lessons Learned from Addiction Treatment Campus Going Tobacco-Free
Pavillon, an addiction treatment facility in North Carolina, shares their lessons learned in going tobacco-free.  Bran Coon, Director of Clinical Program Services stated, “We are choosing to treat the person's core disease—not just focusing on one addiction while allowing another addiction to go overlooked or unchallenged.” In this Addiction Professional article, Coon discusses how the agency’s previous failures provided lessons-learned and how the eventual results were accepted by patients, families and staff.
Tobacco Free Toolkit for Healthcare Providers
The Behavioral Health & Wellness Program created a toolkit to assist healthcare providers in starting the conversation with patients on ending tobacco use. This toolkit provides step-by-step instructions about education on tobacco use, skills for engaging individuals in tobacco cessation discussions, efficient methods for assessing people’s readiness to quit, and research on various treatments.
March Was Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Regular cancer screenings are not common in the behavioral health setting, but cancer still dramatically impacts people with mental health and substance use disorders. Last month was Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and the CDC released a series of tips, resources, and data to help patients, providers, and families promote regular screenings for colorectal cancer. 
Tobacco-Free Living in Psychiatric Settings
The National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors has developed a best practices toolkit promoting wellness and recovery in the psychiatric setting.   The toolkit is full of charts, checklists, policies, and resources that are adaptable to facilities' goals, processes, and communities.  The toolkit can be shared with other members of the behavioral healthcare team that patients may interact with outside of the facility.

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