Smoking Cessation

Project Background and Goals:

Tobacco use is the most important cause of preventable death in this country. Over 70 billion dollars in direct medical costs is attributed to tobacco related disease. Low income and minority individuals are at particular risk for excess tobacco related morbidity and mortality. In the year 2000 the Agency for Health Research and Quality released the guideline Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence. Based on an Extensive meta analysis the guideline provides strong empirical evidence that brief counseling and pharmacotherapy can significantly increase smoking cessation rates.

The Department of Health has funded a 5 year smoking cessation project which will involves a collaboration among Columbia University, NY, NY, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein, Bronx, NY, Woodhull Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY and the Clinical Directors Network, Inc. The New York City Department of Health seeks to promote tobacco use treatment across Community Health Centers and Community Based Organizations. Federal guidelines developed by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on tobacco use treatment and nicotine addiction will be implemented. The implementation will follow the Public Health Service (PHS) recommendations, which include the five steps to intervention in the primary care setting referred to as the 5As (Ask, Advise to quit, Assess readiness, Assist and Arrange follow up). Additionally, participating sites will obtain provider and staff trainings, office system support, and technical assistance to ensure adoption and compliance with the 5 As to identified and treat smokers. Furthermore the project will incorporate additional strategies and resources using the New York State quit line, and referral system, City and State registry, pharmacotherapy, educational materials to assist New Yorkers quit smoking and reduce the acceptability of tobacco use.

Contact Persons:
Clinical Directors Network, Inc Jonathan N. Tobin, PhD CDN President/CEO TEL: (212) 382-0699 ext. 234 FAX: (212) 382-0669 E-MAIL: jntobin@CDNetwork.org	Clinical Directors Network, Inc Gael Donchance, BA Project Coordinator TEL: (212) 382-0699 ext. 224 FAX: (212) 382-0669 E-MAIL:dgael@CDNetwork.org
Columbia University Donna Shelley, MD, MPH Principal Investigator Mailman School of Public Health Department of Sociomedical Sciences7 22 West 168th Street - New York, NY 10032 TEL: (212) 305-0068 E-MAIL: drs26@columbia.edu	Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine Steven L. Bernstein, MD Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine Montefiore Medical Center 111 East 210th Street – Bronx, NY 10467 TEL: (718) 920-2068 FAX: (718) 798-0730 EMAIL: sbernste@montefiore.org
Woodhull Medical Center Brian F. Sands, MD Director, Division of Chemical Dependence North Brooklyn Health Network - Department of Psychiatry TEL: (718) 963-8829 FAX: (718) 963-5976 E-MAIL: Brian.sands@woodhullhc.nychhc.org