PVPSA TARGETS SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ASK, ADVISE, REFER

By Richard Salazar, Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, Inc.

April 2009

Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, Inc. (PVPSA) is pursuing ambitious objectives in the area of smoke-free policies for outdoor public spaces, multi-unit housing common areas, and residential facilities for mental health and substance abuse treatment.  In each case, the availability of cessation support through the Center for Tobacco Cessation (CTC) has proven critical to win support for policy interventions.

The target community, centered in Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley, is one of chronic low income and high unemployment.  The majority of residents are Latino, with many recent immigrants bearing limited English language skills.  Local cessation services have been sporadic, and often inaccessible due to cost, language and transportation.  Utilization of the California Smokers’ Helpline has been low, with few service providers and policy leaders aware of Helpline services.

Especially at mental health and treatment facilities, the lack of cessation resources left staff with concerns regarding the fairness of smoke-free policies.  Through one-on-one meetings, trainings, and community forums, PVPSA has been able to reframe the discussion to focus on second-hand smoke exposure among non-smokers and the negative impacts of continued tobacco use on mental health and substance abuse outcomes.  Teaching treatment staff about cessation and how to refer to the Helpline was pivotal in gaining their support.  CTC staff helped by presenting at community forums and responding to local concerns.

PVPSA is now encouraging social service providers to screen all clients for tobacco use, following the team approach to the Public Health Service Ask, Advise, Refer intervention.  Here, too, the Helpline is an essential component of expanding the screening and referral system. 

PVPSA has a link on their website to the California Smokers' Helpline website and has encouraged the County’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission to do the same.  PVPSA is recommending that other local organizations follow this example, linking tobacco cessation to a broad array of medical, social and mental health services.

Have a success story or strategies to increase cessation that you would like to share with others? Please e-mail Kirsten Hansen at k3hansen@ucsd.edu.