The Need

Tobacco is the #1 preventable cause of disease and death in the US. Research links smoking, chewing, and second-hand smoke, not only with chronic lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema, but also with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and many forms of cancer.

Our Actions

To treat tobacco addiction and improve the overall health of health center patients, MPCA has partnered with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Maine Center for Tobacco Independence and Maine’s community health centers to establish a tobacco use prevention and treatment program.

This program is now in its third year and offers participating health centers:

• Special training to medical providers by the Maine Center for Tobacco Independence

• A voucher program built on the success of the Tobacco HelpLine, which enables patients to receive Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).

• A fax referral program, which allows health center providers to refer patients to the Tobacco HelpLine to receive intensive counseling with feedback being presented to providers to allow for proper clinical follow up.

Through the voucher program, medical providers are authorized to prescribe up to a two-month supply of the Nicotine Patch, Gum, or Lozenge at no cost to patients with an established quit date and who are not covered by Medicaid or by a private health insurance policy which covers NRT.

The fax referral program also requires an established quit date.  However, this program is available to any patient regardless of whether or not they have insurance coverage.

Outcomes & Program Achievements

To date, over 50 health center sites are participating in the program and nearly 1,000 vouchers have been issued to health center patients across the state without insurance coverage.

As a result of the ongoing tobacco cessation efforts by health centers, Maine’s CHCs have:

• Expanded the overall level of support patients receive for their smoking cessation efforts.

• Increased the number of patients who otherwise may have gone without these treatment options due to the out-of-pocket expense.

For more information about this program, contact Chris Muffett, Marketing Coordinator or Andrea Watkins, Administrative Assistant.

Links and Resources

Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine: http://www.tobaccofreemaine.org/
Coordinates state anti-tobacco initiatives

Maine Center for Tobacco Independence: http://mainelung.org/
Provides clinician training and operates the Maine Tobacco HelpLine, providing intensive counseling to patients ready to quit

Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training & Certification: http://mainelung.org/
Maine has recently created the position of Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS-C). The Basic Training provided as part of this program is also valuable to any professional who deals with tobacco users. For information on how to become a Tobacco Treatment Specialist or find out about the next available training, click here.

Healthy Maine Partnerships: http://www.maine.gov/
Information about local prevention efforts and links to other resources.

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