Tanner Health System has received a $6,000 CVS Health Community Grant to help support tobacco cessation and prevention efforts in west Georgia.
The Community Grants Program was created by CVS Health as part of its commitment to help people achieve their best health by providing financial assistance to programs that are focused on smoking cessation and prevention. The support from CVS Health will help Tanner provide nicotine replacement therapies — including patches and gum — to participants in Get Healthy, Live Well’s Fresh Start smoking cessation program.
Rates of adult tobacco use for Carroll (22 percent) and Haralson (30 percent) counties highly exceed the state’s rate of 18 percent. Statistics on tobacco use for Heard County are not available.
To address these disparities and target high-risk populations who use tobacco, the Fresh Start program is offered at a variety of locations, incorporating evidence-based guidelines for tobacco cessation support into three, one-hour group sessions over a three-week period. The program teaches participants effective ways to overcome nicotine dependence, with participants choosing a combination of techniques and cessation treatments to help them quit.
“We’ve had tremendous success with Fresh Start, and we’re excited to have this opportunity to make these additional resources available to those in our region who are trying to quit tobacco,” said Denise Taylor, senior vice president and chief community health, strategy and brand officer for Tanner Health System.
The CVS Health Community Grant will provide about 120 Fresh Start participants with tobacco cessation products.
“As a pharmacy innovation company, we are committed to building healthier communities and we believe that providing smoking cessation programs is one of the most effective ways to help people quit smoking and lead tobacco-free lives,” said Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president, corporate social responsibility and philanthropy for CVS Health. “We are pleased to support the work that Tanner does in the community and we look forward to working with them in fulfilling their program’s mission.”
Get Healthy, Live Well’s Fresh Start is a tobacco cessation counseling program that was designed by the American Cancer Society. The free classes support tobacco users through the first few days when quitting is the hardest and then teach them how to master obstacles that may come later. Participants learn the lifelong benefits of quitting tobacco and how to avoid a relapse. All materials are provided. Classes meet for an hour a week for three weeks.
A schedule of upcoming Fresh Start classes and registration is available online at www.GetHealthyLiveWell.org or by calling 770.214.CARE (2273).
Tanner was selected to receive a grant through the CVS Health Community Grants 2014 application process. This year, grants were specifically awarded to smoking cessation programs offered in a community setting that are helping people lead tobacco-free lives and are reducing the prevalence of smoking.
As a further demonstration of its commitment to health, CVS Health announced the end of tobacco sales at all CVS/pharmacy locations as of Sept. 3, 2014, nearly a month ahead of the previously targeted date. In February 2014, the company announced that it would end the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at its 7,700 CVS/pharmacy stores by Oct. 1, making CVS/pharmacy the first and only national pharmacy chain to take this step in support of the health and well-being of its patients and customers.
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through 7,700 retail pharmacies, 900 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 65 million plan members and expanding specialty pharmacy services, CVS Health enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall healthcare costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at www.cvshealth.com.