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 Outreach Department at (858) 300-1010, or cshoutreach@ucsd.edu
Below are samples of our current partnerships.
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
- 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 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.
The Helpline partnered with the San Diego County Dental Hygienist Society (SDCDHS) to communicate with over 3,500 dental professionals in San Diego County. This joint communication encouraged them to use the Ask, Advise and Refer model within dental clinics and offices. This was an excellent opportunity to provide SDCDHS with Helpline promotional materials to give to patients along with a brief 30-second intervention on the importance of quitting tobacco.
The African American Tobacco Education Partnership (AATEP) collaborated with the California Black Health Network (CBHN), Los Angeles County’s It's Quitting Time LA! project and the Helpline to develop the Los Angeles County Tobacco Cessation Resource Guide. The guide specifically targets African American smokers in Los Angeles County to increase utilization of available cessation resources and was distributed recently at the Los Angeles Black Business Expo.
