Incorporating tobacco cessation activities in a psychosocial rehabilitation program

This presentation describes an initiative using an academic community partnership from the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Genesis Club in Worcester, MA to help people diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) reduce or quit tobacco use.

There is compelling evidence that individuals with SMI are at significantly greater risk of co-morbid health problems and premature death when compared to the general population. There is a need to implement and evaluate cost-effective interventions that attempt to decrease morbidity and mortality associated with tobacco use among people with SMI. This project directly addresses this concern and engages this population to help integrate and customize three key tobacco control interventions that have not been combined in a well established and widely replicated setting - the Clubhouse Model of Psychosocial Rehabilitation.

Clubhouses are psychiatric rehabilitation programs that offer a variety of supports and services including vocational supports, employment, education, housing, outreach, advocacy, wellness activities, and assistance with accessing health care, and social supports. The extent of health promotion activities and practices within clubhouses has been unclear. Many clubhouse members are overweight, have poor nutrition, lack exercise, and use tobacco.

Project accomplishments include implementing tobacco cessation interventions (Addressing Tobacco through Organizational Change, Learning About Healthy Living, and Consumers Helping Others Improve Their Condition by Ending Smoking) to create organizational change with regard to tobacco use, train peer tobacco leaders, and establish health promotion and tobacco cessation resources for clubhouse members and staff.