NAQC Newsroom: Announcements

Call For Input on Guidelines for Quitline Cessation Specialist Training

Thursday, December 9, 2010  
Posted by: Natalia Gromov

The Behavioral Health Advisory Forum (BHAF) recently released a report titled "Do Quitlines Have a Role in Serving the Tobacco Cessation Needs of Persons with Mental Illnesses and Substance Abuse Disorders?” (available at http://smokingcessationleadership.ucsf.edu/Downloads/BHAFQuitlines_BH9_27_10.pdf ) As part of that report, the Forum recommended that "Tobacco treatment specialists should receive regular training on behavioral health issues. It is important that quitline staff have a working understanding of how addictions and mental health issues are associated with tobacco use and impact tobacco cessation efforts.”

The Forum is beginning a process to develop guidelines and recommendations around training and continuing education for handling behavioral health issues in a quitline context. Anyone interested in participating in this process should contact Chad Morris at Chad.Morris@ucdenver.edu .