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 SAMHSA Policy Academy Creates New Partnerships Between Behavioral Health and Tobacco Control Advocates
The first SAMHSA Policy Academy to address tobacco and behavioral health took place at SAMHSA's headquarters in Rockville, Maryland on June 19-20, 2014. Those who attended were among selected specialists and leaders in the field of tobacco control and behavioral health representing Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and West Virginia.
The Policy Academy aims to further educate state leaders about the epidemic of tobacco use and behavioral health, and to provide statewide collaboration that addresses tobacco use by those with mental and substance use disorders. Ultimately, the Academy strives to prepare states to convene a local State Leadership Academy for Wellness and Smoking Cessation.
During the Academy, state leaders worked collaboratively to identify prospective solutions tailored to their specific state populations that will work to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use. Each state created an action plan that included baseline and target measures, assigned roles for implementation, community outreach efforts, and identified potential partners and stakeholders to implement a successful local effort.
Dr. Howard Koh addresses the Policy Academy participants
A distinguished panel of speakers, including directors from SAMHSA prevention and treatment centers delivered valuable information and guidance, indicating the need for the Policy Academy's focus on tobacco. Key note speaker Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, personally addressed the state champions and thanked them for their commitment to this important cause, "To achieve our vision of a world free of tobacco related death and disease, we must tackle this addiction in people with mental health and substance abuse disorders. Tragically, such individuals consume 40% of all cigarettes and make up nearly half of all the annual deaths from smoking in the US."
Moving forward, amongst creating new relationships and coalitions, states that attended left with an action plan and potential tools for implementation to create or build upon existing tobacco control and behavioral health initiatives within their states. With SAMHSA's commitment to another Policy Academy in 2015, SCLC looks forward to adding more states to the existing Leadership Academy network.
For more information on the Policy Academy on Behavioral Health and Tobacco, please contact Catherine Saucedo at csaucedo@medicine.ucsf.edu.
* Dr. Koh will be departing from HHS and will be returning to the faculty at Harvard School of Public Health. SCLC thanks Dr. Koh for his dedication and leadership in the field of tobacco control and behavioral health.
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 Help For Those Wanting to Quit While Incarcerated: A Conversation with Brenda Howard in Arkansas
In 2013, SCLC commemorated its 10th anniversary by creating a top ten list of past achievements as well as emerging directions. One emerging direction SCLC has been focusing on this year is engaging those involved in caring for the justice involved populations. In early 2014, SCLC began working with the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC).
The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program (TPCP) partnered with ADC and the University of Colorado Behavioral Health and Wellness Program to reduce smoking among the incarcerated populations in Arkansas. They have been addressing the population by providing training for counselors employed by ADC who work in the Therapeutic Community and Substance Abuse Treatment Program in order to integrate tobacco treatment as a component of their Therapeutic Communities. The incarcerated population is a group that must be addressed, due to having some of the highest smoking rates when compared to other marginalized populations. It is estimated that 80% of prisoners smoke, and offering tobacco cessation services would provide much needed assistance to this underserved population. 
SCLC had the opportunity to speak about this project with Brenda Howard, TPCP Cessation Section Chief. Brenda oversaw the implementation of the project with support from the TPCP Cessation Health Program Specialist.
Click here to read the full interview.
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CDC Tips from Former Smokers Ads
 The CDC continues its Tips from Former Smokers campaign with new ads that began airing on July 7th. This next phase focuses on conditions not commonly associated with smoking - including gum disease, pre-term birth, and complications associated with HIV, as well as continue to emphasize more common conditions, like cancer.
Read more about the campaign and access new resources tailored for dental professionals, health care professionals, and pharmacists, here: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/
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FDA Extends Comment Period for Proposed Deeming Rule
On April 25, 2014, FDA published a proposed rule, Tobacco Products Deemed To Be Subject to the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (Deeming), to regulate additional tobacco products that meet the definition of a tobacco product. Proposed newly deemed products would include e-cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, certain dissolvables that are not "smokeless tobacco," gels, and waterpipe tobacco.
FDA has extended the comment period for the proposed rule to August 8, 2014.
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids has created a microsite that includes background information, talking points, fact sheets on cigars and e-cigarettes, and sample comments for parents, health care providers, concerned citizens and public health advocates.
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Join the National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control
The National Council for Behavioral Health, in collaboration with SCLC, the Behavioral Health and Wellness Program, and Centerstone Research Institute has launched a program to address cancer and tobacco related disparities among people with mental illness and substance use disorders. With support from the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health and the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, we established the National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control.
Register to become a National Behavioral Health Network participant and to receive cutting-edge information and resources through the Network Insider, a bi-monthly e-newsletter.
For more information, contact Shelina Foderingham at ShelinaF@thenationalcouncil.org
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Other Resource Highlights
We are pleased to offer FREE continuing education credits for our Summer Online Webinar Series. There is a limited quantity available; so hurry and register now!
We now have two new webinar recordings to offer, which are eligible for CE credit, "Smoke Free Movies: Averting a Million Premature Deaths" and "E-cigarettes: Challenges for Clinicians". These recordings, plus an additional 6, are accessible from the SCLC website. Feel free to complete more than one course. Each online course is designated with 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits, with a few exceptions. Please note: In order to claim credit for FREE, use the discount code: SCLC10 on the payment screen.
Follow instructions on this link to register:
http://smokingcessationleadership.ucsf.edu/Webinarscme.htm
 1-800-QUIT-NOW wallet card Available through the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, the card is similar in size and feel to a credit card and offers motivational language urging smokers to call the nation's free, effective, tobacco cessation counseling lines.
A New Way to Think About Quitting
About re-learning life without cigarettes, the free Become an EX plan is based on personal experiences from ex-smokers, as well as the latest scientific research from the experts at Mayo Clinic.
RWJF Tobacco Map
For the first time, policymakers and advocates have access to a nationwide picture of continuing state efforts on key tobacco control policies. The RWJF Tobacco Map uses data from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the Americans for Non-Smokers' Rights and is updated as new information becomes available.
RWJF County Health Rankings and Roadmaps 2014
The Rankings offer an easy-to-use snapshot of overall health for nearly every county in the U.S.
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Smoking Cessation Leadership Center | University of California, San Francisco
Please continue to send us your updates (i.e. newsletter articles, provider trainings, presentations, etc.)
We will collect all the information, share with all partners, and post updates on the SCLC website.
Questions or comments on the Communiqué:
Contact Gil Lorenzo
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