Text messaging cessation programs – 12/14/11

Q: Does your state offer a tobacco cessation text messaging service?  Is the service in conjunction with your quitline? Please tell us about it.

If you would be willing to share the language you used in your RFP, please send the RFP or the relevant language for tobacco cessation text messaging services.

Moderator’s note: A similar question was posted on the Help Your Peers listserv in early 2010 (Text messaging cessation campaigns – 5/18/10), but few states were running text messaging cessation programs at the time. Now that the national SmokefreeTXT program has launched, mobile technology is getting more attention as a channel for delivering health information. You can learn more about the Smokefree.gov Mobile Interventions here.

A:

1. Arkansas: We are currently collecting data to determine if text to quit is a service our Arkansas Tobacco Quitline will provide.  We currently do not offer texting services.
    
2. Iowa: Iowa required the successful applicant for their Quitline RFP to provide a text messaging service.
    
   Following is the requirement language we used in the RFP: Providing a text-messaging service to callers that request it.  This service will provide text messages sent during the course of a caller’s enrollment in ongoing counseling to the caller’s mobile phone.  These texts should provide motivational quit messages, relapse prevention messages, and reminders of upcoming sessions with quitline counselors.
    
   Narrative requirement:  “Describe experience providing internet and texting services that support and supplement telephone-based counseling.”
    
   Budget requirement: “expenses should be wrapped into the unit cost price-per-call and described in the budget narrative.”
    
3. Nebraska: Nebraska runs a text-messaging program in conjunction with our Quitline. A case study describing our program that was prepared for “Global Dialogue for Effective Stop-Smoking Campaigns” is attached.
    
   We’ve since made some additional modifications to the program.  In November 2011, we eliminated the “friends” and “family” groups due to low membership and to allow us to focus on those who are actively thinking about quitting or quitting.
    
   Those who text in now self-identify into groups as follows:
    
   ALL (initial message sent on first text-in):
    
   Welcome to IMREADY and congrats on taking the first step!
    
   Please tell us, are you a:
    
   SMOKER
   CHEWER
    
   (Reply with best fit.)
    
   CHEWER:
   To receive relevant support, please tell us are you:
    
   A) Thinking about Quitting
   B) Already Quit
    
   (Reply with A or B for best fit)
    
   SMOKER:
   To receive relevant support, please tell us are you:
    
   1) Thinking about Quitting
   2) Already Quit
    
   (Reply with # for best fit)
    
   For us, text-messaging is a relatively inexpensive way to reach tobacco users who are interested in quitting with this support.
    
4. New Hampshire: Yes, we offer text messaging cessation service in conjunction with our quitline. Our text service is offered online, and is customized by type of tobacco used and readiness to quit. We collect some demographic information through the online registration.
    
   People can also text TIPS to 22122 and receive a message helping them to remember to go online to sign up, or with a smart phone, go directly to the page in their browser to sign up.
    
   This service is also offered by the counselors at the NH Tobacco Helpline to all clients, and they will sign them up on line for them to receive the text tips.
    
   We do not have any language in our RFP specific to the texting project though.
    
5. Rhode Island: We have a mobile text messaging program through our cessation program.  Smokers can sign up for messages via our website or from call to action messaging on our transit advertising.  An outside vendor helps us facilitate the process.
    
6. Utah: In Utah, we put our text to quit responsibilities under our marketing campaign, so we didn't do an exclusive RFP for the texting. They acquired bids and went with the lowest cost. Attached are three-weeks’ worth of messages as an example. Also, attached are radio station produced advertisements for our program: 10-second version, 15-second version, and 30-second version. We saw good results when we advertised on the radio. Stadium signage, brochures, wallet cards, etc. didn't do much to prompt people to sign up.
    
7. West Virginia: WV does not do text messaging at this time.

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