Tobacco Cessation in Low Income Communities: Partnership with The Salvation Army Joseph D. Mole, MSW, The Salvation Army, USA Central Territory Janet Porter, MPH; Kerry Brattrud, BA, Health Education Council Problem/Objective: Individuals in substance abuse treatment programs are over-represented in the smoking population. Approximately 80% of substance abusers are smokers compared to 23% of the general population and over 50% of recovering alcoholics and addicts will die from tobacco related diseases. Methods: The Salvation Army, in conjunction with the National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty, (a program of the Health Education Council) convened and collected data from Salvation Army alcohol and drug rehabilitation and treatment facility personnel in the USA Central Territory to assess the readiness of facilities to integrate smoking cessation into existing Salvation Army drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment programs. The readiness of facility administrators, case workers and counselors to adopt facility-wide policies prohibiting tobacco use among participants and staff was also assessed along with their beliefs about tobacco cessation and recovery success. Results: Results indicated that partnerships with agencies that have historically provided services to the impoverished present a unique opportunity to reduce the burden of tobacco use in low income communities. In addition, alternative approaches to tobacco cessation must be developed that are specific to alcohol and drug treatment facilities, especially those that have under represented partners in tobacco prevention and cessation. Conclusions: Cessation services in The Salvation Army and similar treatment facilities require both a clinical and faith-based approach to cessation. Further, continued education on the myths associated with addressing tobacco use in recovery continues to be a need. Tobacco cessation should be integrated as part of a comprehensive approach to addressing substance abuse addictions. Abstract Background Summary Lessons Learned Involve Non Traditional Partners in Tobacco Control: To address nicotine addiction in low income populations, new partners need to be educated and involved in tobacco control efforts. Agencies providing services in low income communities are important allies in reducing tobacco use prevalence rates in this population even though they are not experts in tobacco control. Provide Ongoing Education: There is still a tremendous need to educate Alcohol and Drug Treatment programs on the health consequences of nicotine addiction and assist them with strategies to develop program policies and cessation components into their treatment programs. Link Experts: Programs addressing alcohol and drug addiction can become resources to each other. Some facilities are beginning to address nicotine addiction in recovery and can be a resource for those who are taking the initial steps to begin this process. The smoking rate of clients who currently participate in alcohol and drug recovery at Salvation Army sites are approximately 75 to 80%. Among Salvation Army sites surveyed, tobacco addiction is not universally considered as serious nor are they treated as aggressively as addictions to other drugs such as cocaine, heroin, or alcohol. The National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty (NNTPP) partnered with The Salvation Army to develop a training workshop on tobacco prevention and cessation to treatment and rehabilitation personnel, officers, and program directors. Form Partnership between The Salvation Army and National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty. Provide Tobacco Education for The Salvation Army Alcohol and Drug Treatment Staff. Assess Facility Interest/Readiness to Adopt Tobacco Policies and Integrate Cessation. Provide Ongoing Tobacco Policy and Cessation Support and Training. Implementation Approximately 40 Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center personnel, officers, and program directors received education. Education was delivered in three, separate, one and a half hour workshops Session One – provided an introduction to nicotine addiction along with a discussion of health implications of alcohol and tobacco use in low-income populations. Session Two – addressed models of effective integration of nicotine addiction in recovery programs and the components of a comprehensive tobacco use policy. Session Three – provided an example of how to use local resources for cessation programs and approaches. Plan Is tobacco use a problem/concern in your Salvation Army facility, community, organization, or home? Does your Salvation Army unit/center offer programs to help people stop smoking or using tobacco? The National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty is supported by Cooperative Grant Agreement # from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention