Jefferson County Tobacco Control Accomplishments

The Power of Policy to Reduce the Toll of Tobacco

June 16, 2009Tobacco Prevention InitiativeReport to Board of Health

Agenda

Introductions Program Goals Policy as a Powerful Tool Highlights of Accomplishments 09-10 Grant Cycle Working Together

Tobacco Prevention Initiative

Donna Viverette – Program Coordinator

Flo Cisan – Worksite/organizational policy, tobacco-free campuses

Ed Ellis – Smoke-free law compliance, adult cessation, spit tobacco

Alma Sandoval – Latinos, healthcare and childcare providers

Susan Sobkoviak – Secondhand smoke education, policies/laws

Jeremy Vann – youth prevention, cessation and policy advocacy

Laurie Robinson – media and program assistant

Rose Fales – program assistant

Our Goals

Reduce the toll of tobacco that takes 4,300 Colorado lives each year– Reducing youth/young adult initiation – Increasing cessation among youth and adults– Reducing secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure– Reducing/eliminating tobacco-related disparities

Priority strategies:– Coalition building and community mobilization– Media– Policy

Effective Tobacco Control Policies

Erode the power of tobacco industry De-normalize tobacco use

– Shift social norms to tobacco-free living

Protect people from Secondhand Smoke (SHS) exposure

Increase system wide engagement so that all people, including the poor and other health disparity affected populations, are served

Lessons Learned

POLICY…– Provides a framework for establishing priorities,

goals, and programs for tobacco control– Is a guide to practical decision-making for

worksites, schools, organizations and service providers

– Articulates common vision for tobacco control– Can set national/global standards for tobacco

control that can be enforced and measured– Helps give children a real chance to grow up

tobacco free

Benefits of Policy

Empowers people in civic engagement– TF Jeffco– CAUSE– BE Teams– CASH– Latino Advisory Committee

Network of influential partners who become passionate advocates

– Jefferson Center for Mental Health– Jefferson County Public Schools – Exempla

Jefferson County‘08 –’09 Policy Accomplishments

Individual and FamilySchool campusesHealth/human services systemsOrganizations and WorksitesMunicipal government

Individual and Family

Smoke-free homes– Education, Media Campaigns, SF Pledges

Supports for tobacco-free living– Agreements with other Providers

Education, Counseling and Referral

School Campuses

Post-secondary campuses School Policy

– Sponsorship messaging, training educators, linking wellness and tobacco prevention activities, parent involvement, increased access to tobacco cessation and prevention resources

– Policy Updates Highlight: JeffCo Schools’ Partnership

Health/Human Services

System-wide Changes – integrating tobacco control strategies – Health Care Providers

Substance Abuse/Mental Health

– WIC– Head Start– Children and Family Services

Organizations and Worksites

Smoke-free multi-unit housing Increasing resources/incentives to be

tobacco-free in the workplace Tobacco-free Campuses (worksites)

– Impacts clients/consumers and employees ELMC Jefferson Center for Mental Health

Municipal Government

Support/strengthen CCIAA at the local level– Arvada, Golden

Local ordinances to reduce youth access, limit the tobacco industry’s influence– Arvada, Wheat Ridge

Impact of This Work

Fewer people exposed to secondhand smoke– Protecting newborns – Nearly 1200 family housing units – The estimated annual 30,000 patients, visitors and employees of

ELMC– Arvada’s 106,000 residents

Reduction in tobacco use– Quitline calls steadily increase from Jeffco – Youth cessation programming in all high schools– More than 100 training and technical assistance sessions with

healthcare providers

Our Work is Making a Difference

‘09 –’10 Grant

Received funding through the State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership

Deepen and expand outreach, education and policy work – focus: health disparity affected populations

Continue to work with local jurisdictions to protect individuals from SHS

From Helping People Quit,

to Supporting Important

Policy Changes and Legislation . . .

It’s the People and Partnerships That Have It’s the People and Partnerships That Have Made All the DifferenceMade All the Difference

Working Together to Strengthen Local Smoke-Free Laws

Eiber Elementary School Thanks the BoH Influence of the BoH How can we work together?

Thank You!