The Ohio Tobacco and Recovery Initiative
Improving the Overall Health of Individuals in the Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Treatment Systems
Mental health and physical health conditions result in the loss of more than two and a half decades of life for people with serious mental illness and/or substance abuse. Approximately 12 of those years are attributable to illnesses associated with tobacco use; therefore, efforts to address physical health disparities must include a focus on tobacco dependence.
Since 2005, Ohio's Departments of Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services have worked with the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation to tailor tobacco dependence treatment services to the needs of individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders. A two-year pilot study was conducted to explore the feasibility of implementing tobacco dependence treatment within Ohio’s treatment systems.
In 2007 these state agencies partnered with the Center for Evidence Based Practices at Case Western Reserve University (SAMI CCOE) and Ohio Advocates for Mental Health (OAMH) to promote tobacco cessation treatment in community behavioral health service settings across Ohio. This new initiative is entitled the Ohio Tobacco and Recovery Initiative (TR).
Additional information:
Ohio Tobacco and Recovery Initiative Slides
Ohio Tobacco and Recovery Project Web Site