Institution of a Fax Referral System in Community Metal Health

Audience: This presentation is designed for tobacco control program staff and those working in the areas of cessation, health systems change, disparities or mental health.

 Key Points:

•  Mental Health Centers can develop systems that result in successful referral of their smoking clients to a Quitline. The presentation will describe the process that used to develop systems at three Community Mental Health Centers and demonstrate the successes. This project resulted in the agencies becoming the leading fax referral source to the Quitline. (37% of all statewide referrals.)
• Smokers who are seeking help for mental health issues are amenable to accepting a referral for smoking cessation. This presentation will show that the people who seek services at a mental health center, for an issue unrelated to their smoking, are receptive to receiving cessation messages as well and document the success of the intervention. Of those referred 38% have accepted services, compared to the statewide rate of 46%.

 Educational Experience: The audience will receive a didactic presentation that will describe the procedures used, the barriers that were overcome and the resulting data from this project. Those in the audience will be able to take the example shown by this presentation and replicate the experience in other Community Mental Health Centers.

 Benefits: Those in attendance will learn a very low cost way to include agencies working in the mental health community to make referrals to the Quitline. This presentation shows that systems change interventions around smoking cessation can be incorporated into behavioral health agencies, as well as medical practices.