The California Smokers' Helpline (Helpline) recognizes the power of partnerships to reach out to communities. Benefits of such partnerships are increased awareness and utilization of an effective cessation program to assist smokers in quitting and the opportunity for the partner organization to make a difference with their members/patients.
To find out how you can partner with the Helpline to make a difference, please contact the Communications and Partner Development Department at (858) 300-1010, or cshoutreach@ucsd.edu
Below are examples of our current partnerships.
The California Dental Hygienists' Association (CDHA), the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center and the California Smokers' Helpline have re-energized the New California Gold Rush campaign in which dental hygienists can win prizes for utilizing the Ask, Advise, Refer model to help their patients quit tobacco. All dental hygienists in California are eligible to win and are encouraged to participate by
Asking their patients if they smoke, Advising tobacco users to quit and Referring them to 1-800-NO-BUTTS for FREE tobacco cessation counseling. Dental hygienists are also being encouraged to utilize the Gold Card when referring their patients to the Helpline. To learn more about this exciting competition, visit www.cdha.org.
The California Smokers’ Helpline and the California Diabetes Program have teamed up to bring you the Be Proactive and the Do you cAARd? campaigns. These campaigns encourage health care providers to help their patients quit smoking by following these easy steps: Ask ...every patient about tobacco use at every visit, Advise...every tobacco user to quit, and Refer...smokers to 1-800-NO-BUTTS for more information about quitting smoking. Provide patients with a free Gold Card.
The Helpline is working with the California Academy of Physician Assistants to educate physician assistants on Helpline services and formulate a plan for California PAs to increase their cessation intervention effectiveness by promoting the Ask, Advise and Refer model. For more information on the partnership, please read the excellent article written by Larry Rosen, PA-C, Vice President and PR Committe Chair of CAPA.
First 5 California, established by the California Children and Families First Act of 1998, provides vital support to the Helpline to offer counseling to pregnant women and parents or caregivers of young children. In addition, the Helpline works with First 5 to integreate cessation messages into their programs and goals.
A recent survey conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revealed that most parents feel it is appropriate for their pediatrician to inform them of any dangers that may affect the health of their child, including exposure to secondhand smoke. The Helpline is working with the AAP to encourage their members to Ask, Advise and Refer their patients' parents who use tobacco to the Helpline.
The Helpline and the California Academy of Family Physicians are working together to educate the 7,000 plus members of CAFP about the Ask, Advise, Refer intervention. CAFP is also one of nine organizations collaborating on a national multiyear initiative, called Cease Smoking Today, to develop a comprehensive approach for intervening and decreasing smoking rates in the United States.
The Helpline has partnered with Project UNIFORM to build relationships with local and statewide military organizations and personnel to increase the awareness of Helpline services. Helpline counselors attended a 2-day training event hosted by Project UNIFORM to discuss the military lifestyle and formulate a more customized approach and strategies for counseling military members.
