January 15, 2013
People with mental illness and/or a substance abuse disorders now consume almost half of all cigarettes in America. They pay a staggering price – death, on average, occurs approximately 25 years earlier for those with a mental illness and/or substance abuse disorder than others. These smokers want to quit as much as anybody else. Unfortunately, all too often they are not encouraged nor supported to do so by the mental health/substance abuse health care system.
For the past six years WiNTiP, funded by the state Tobacco Prevention and Control Program and the Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, has worked to integrate the treatment of tobacco dependence into the mental health/AODA health care system. In 2012 WiNTip introduced “Integration Innovator Awards” as a mechanism to recognize and encourage stakeholder organizations to take initial steps to integrate the treatment of tobacco dependence. The aim of this award program is to encourage and broaden the participation of clinicians, researchers, students, educators and consumers in the process of tobacco treatment integration. Seven organizations each received $1,000. The results were gratifying.
WiNTiP is pleased to announce that the Integration Innovator Award program is being expanded. For 2013, two categories of awards will be made: