Pittsburg, Kansas — Crawford County Mental Health Center (CCMHC) is excited to
announce the launch of a new Tobacco Cessation program, joining the few mental health
centers in Kansas who currently offer the service. This program aims to equip individuals
with the necessary tools to combat their tobacco and nicotine use and/or addiction.
The program develops individualized assessments and goals for clients to take action andcurb the appetite for tobacco use, something the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention say causes more than 480,000 deaths annually in the United States. This is donethrough Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), individual counseling, group counseling,and referrals to additional resources that aid individuals in their quit journey.
In 2020, over 16% of adults in Kansas smoked and according to data from the KansasDepartment of Health and Environment (KDHE), statewide health care expendituresrelated to smoking are estimated to top $1.12 billion each year.
“We are excited to have the ability to help individuals reach their health goals with the addition of Tobacco Treatment Specialists,” said Amy Glines, Deputy Director. “Tobacco use is one behavior that will create risk factors for your health, including heart and lung diseases. We encourage all of our clients to explore this new tobacco cessation option with help of a Tobacco Treatment Specialist, so no one walks their quit journey alone. We are grateful for the Crawford County Health Department for their support and encouragement through the Chronic Disease Risk Reduction grant and partnership to improve health in our community with Living Well programing.”
At this time, CCMHC has a team of five certified Tobacco Treatment Specialists, professionals who are specially trained to provide treatment for individuals seeking to stop using tobacco. Each Tobacco Treatment Specialist is certified through the University of Kansas Medical School’s Tobacco Treatment training. The team is comprised of Kerrington Hall, Victoria Hensley, Kasia Hoover, Darius Robinson, and Terry Waggoner.
Active CCHMC clients who wish to be referred to the Tobacco Cessation program may speak to their provider about adding this service to their treatment plan. For individuals who are not currently enrolled in mental health or substance use services, referrals can be accessed through the Same Day Access clinic, which operates Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at 911 E. Centennial in Pittsburg, Kansas.
Many insurance companies pay for tobacco cessation services. A sliding fee scale is offered to all uninsured Crawford County residents.
Crawford County Mental Health Center has been serving the mental health needs of Crawford County and the surrounding area since 1961, offering adult, children, crisis, veteran, and substance use services. For more information on the services provided, please call 620-231-5130 or visit www.crawfordmentalhealth.org.