Union Gospel Mission's Hope Place partners with the Tobacco Prevention Program and the Quitline for a successful support team!

The Union Gospel Mission (UGM) has been a part of the Community Cessation Partnership for a number of years. With impending policy change mandates from state and local government agencies on the horizon, UGM and other shelters have been in more frequent contact with the Tobacco Prevention Program (TPP) seeking policy and cessation support for their clients/guests. The UGM has asked us to include an overview policy change as part of our normal Brief Tobacco Intervention Skills (BTIS) trainings at all Seattle sites, one of which (Hope Place) already has a 100% tobacco free policy (residents are not allowed to smoke on or off-site and are tested if tobacco use is suspected).

The UGM staff has a strong desire to implement a variety of tobacco policies. The discussion around the possibility of DBHR imposed policy has actually opened the door for movement towards smoke-free policy. The UGM has taken the tobacco policy discussion to site managers and appears to be moving forward on many levels.

One location in particular, Hope Place (an all women's shelter) is one such site in transition.

With the help of site champ Debbie Reed, Hope Place has participated in a number of BTIS trainings and has recently started smoking awareness and cessation groups. Debbie leads the women through an educational program followed by a cessation group. The cessation group quits together on the same day, and all participants are offered NRT (patch).

Another important player supporting the women at Hope Place is the WA Tobacco Quitline. The TPP supplies qualifying partners and clinics with NRT. We strongly promote the Quitline as a first way to obtain the NRT and access Medicaid and other services. Hope Place is encouraging their clients to use Quitline services. . To support their recovery from nicotine addiction, the women at Hope Place are receiving Behavioral Change counseling and guidance, the group intervention and support, and are accessing the Quitline services. Currently, Hope Place has 25 women enrolled in their smoking awareness/cessation groups!

The ultimate goal for Hope Place is to have all the women100% smoke free; to offer support for current and new residents to quit, and to adopt a 100% tobacco free policy later this year.

Our partnership work with the Union Gospel Mission is unprecedented and extremely exciting!