1 1 Tobacco Free Policy: Implementation action plan and procedural guidelines Update Tomas E. Ramirez, Ph.D. Acting Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Labor Relations March 14, 2011

Quick Update December Adoption of Tobacco Free Policy for Students and Staff January Office of Human Resources charged with the task of developing an implementation plan for the adult portion of the Tobacco Free Policy January to March- Convening of small work groups and meetings with select individuals to ready for the work of a larger task force; the task force will take a comprehensive review of the intended goals of the adopted policy and will develop short and long range plans for its full implementation (i.e., communication, enforcement, data collection and analysis as part of a yearly evaluation, other)

Quick Update – cont’d Tasks Accomplished to Date:  Preparation of draft memo to employees regarding the policy; memo shared with representatives of the various unions and PPSD legal counsel  Preparation of Tobacco Free Incident Report Form (complaint form) for the reporting of policy violations  The identification of key personnel and their roles and responsibilities for the implementation of the policy  Planning meeting held with LifeWatch, our Employee Assistance Program provider, for smoking cessation programs; referrals and counseling are at no cost to our employees Next Proposed Planned Briefing to School Board :  Monday, May 9, 2011– A report of the full task force

Additional Information Regarding Policy Implementation

Additional Information regarding policy implementation Section #1: Five steps to implementing the school board’s adopted Tobacco Free Policy Section #2: Potential obstacles to implementing the policy to its full extent Section #3: Evaluating the impact of the Tobacco Free Policy and its implementation Section #4: Preparing for future policy revisions as an ongoing process of policy implementation and changes in law and ordinance

Charge and scope of implementation Charge to Human Resources: Develop an implementation action plan for adults as required by the Tobacco Free Policy Provide the School Board with an update on the work to date

Section #1: Five steps to implementing the Tobacco Free Policy Step 1 – Convene a task force to define the policy and the scope of its implementation Step 2 - Set a timeline for implementation along with corresponding person(s) responsible for deliverables Step 3 – Specify strategies for the promulgation of the policy Step 4- Establish clear expectations for compliance grounded on the principles of progressive discipline Step 5 – Provide opportunities for referrals to tobacco cessation programs

Five steps to implementing the Tobacco Free Policy Step 1: Convene a task force to define the policy and the scope of its implementation  Initial task force comprised of internal personnel and select partners; task force will expand to include wider representation of stakeholders Defining Question: What is the policy? Sample follow-up questions:  Who is impacted by the policy?  Can employees smoke or use tobacco products in their vehicles while on school department property?  Can a visitor attending a sporting event smoke or use tobacco products in their own vehicles while on school department property?  How will the school department enforce compliance for a visitor who refuses to comply with the policy? Will the Providence Police Department assist?

Five steps to implementing the Tobacco Free Policy Step 2- Set a timeline for implementation along with corresponding person(s) responsible for deliverables Plan for deliverables that can be implemented in the short term and deliverables that will be ongoing and long term Ensure consultation with organizations that are working on tobacco cessation programs (i.e., American Lung Association; LifeWatch) Ensure implementation becomes a yearly component of the opening of school orientation for all faculty and staff

Five steps to implementing the Tobacco Free Policy Step 3: Specify strategies for the promulgation of the policy Identify initial dissemination strategies  Administrative memorandum to all employees  Announcement of the policy and its implementation on the district’s website  Wide distribution of procedural reporting forms  Identification of the location and person(s) for the filing of complaints Identify long range plans and ongoing strategies  Signage on school buildings and doors  Education and training  Opening of school reminders  Information included in parent handbook and translated in different languages

Five steps to implementing the Tobacco Free Policy Step 4- Establish clear expectations for compliance grounded on the principles of progressive discipline Important that all employees have a clear understanding of what is expected of them for compliance of this policy  What is the policy?  Why was the policy adopted?  What are the principles of progressive discipline and how will progressive discipline be instituted?  How can employees access tobacco cessation programs if they wish to explore this option?  In what ways can the various bargaining unions further assist in the promulgation of the policy? 11

Why was the policy adopted? 2010 Report of the Office of the Surgeon General  How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking- Attributable Disease. Major Findings:  Tobacco is a public heath epidemic  Cigarettes are responsible for approximately 443,000 deaths in the United States each year– one in every five deaths  One-half of all long-term smokers are killed by smoking-related diseases 12

Why was the policy adopted? – cont’d  A large proportion of these deaths are from early heart attacks, chronic lung diseases, and cancers  Nonsmokers suffer the consequences of second hand smoke– thousands die each year from heart disease and lung cancer  There is no safe tobacco product and there is no risk-free level of exposure to tobacco smoke  When individuals inhale cigarette smoke, directly or as secondhand smoke, they inhale more than 7,000 chemicals– hundreds of these are hazardous and 69 of them cause cancer 13

Preventable In the United States, tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease for both men and women Prevention strategies include:  Monitoring the tobacco epidemic and prevention policies  Protecting people from secondhand smoke  Offering quit assistance to current smokers  Warnings about the dangers of tobacco  Enforcing comprehensive restrictions on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship  Raising taxes and prices on tobacco products 14

Five steps to implementing the Tobacco Free Policy Step 5- Provide opportunities for referrals to tobacco cessation programs  Enlist the assistance of the district Health Services Administrator and the district’s Wellness Committee  Establish linkages with tobacco cessation program providers for the confidential referral of employees who may want explore this option  Develop multiple means of outreach 15

Section #2 Potential obstacles to implementing the policy to its full extent

Section #2: Potential obstacles to implementing the policy to its full extent  Smokers’ right to smoke issue: Important to emphasize that the policy is not a policy for the prohibition of the right of people to smoke or use other tobacco products; adults just need to respect the policy as adopted by the Providence School Board  Funding to ensure the timely replacement of signage on school buildings and other school department property  Enforcement of policy for adults who are not employed by Providence Public Schools (i.e., visitors to sporting events held on PPSD facilities) 17

Section #3: Evaluating the impact of the Tobacco Free Policy and its implementation  The office of Research, Planning and Accountability will assist in an annual evaluation of policy implementation and compliance focused on:  Communication of policy to new staff, existing faculty, students, parents, visitors (through media and signage)  Enforcement of policy incl. any disciplinary actions and referrals to supports/helpline for cessation  Adherence/compliance (environmental scan of appropriate signage, observation of cigarette butts/people smoking on campus, any surveys asking about policy awareness and compliance)  Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs & use (SurveyWorks! as source for rate of student perceptions/attitudes associated with tobacco use and actual use; possible survey of faculty and parents  Evaluation plan can only be finalized after elements of policy and guidance are firmly established 18

Section #4: Preparing for future policy revisions as an ongoing process of policy implementation and changes in law  Ongoing collection of data to inform policy implementation and decision making  Monitoring of the passage of bills that become law at the Rhode Island General Assembly 19

List of work group members and individuals who have been invited to take part in development of the implementation plan Guy Alba Joyce O’Connor Marco Andrade Janet Pichardo Carole Bernardo (LifeWatch) Larry Roberti Kenneth Chiavarini Julie Sacks June Daniel Kristen Sampson Stephanie Federico Peter Santos Betty Jackson Andre Thibeault Carleton JonesSteve Tremblay Aubrey Lombardo Lisa Vargas-Sinapi Jo-Anne Micheletti Charlene Vela Donna O’Connor Paul Vorro Additional members to be invited to take part in the task force include parents, community based organizations, PPSD’s Wellness Committee, and others. 20