Q: Break Free Alliance, a partner of the Tobacco Control Network, would like to compile mentor resources related to quitline use in prisons/jails. We have convened an informal workgroup that has had one conference call to gather preliminary information. We also plan to survey the National Commission on Correctional Health Care’s membership and the NAQC membership for additional feedback. The information gathered will be used for moving forward with expanding the workgroup, disseminating existing resources related to the development and implementation of quitlines in prisons, and developing recommendations for prisons/jails at some point in the future.

Are any states aware of correctional systems (prisons or jails) that have made quitline services available to inmates and/or staff? Are there any case studies or other information that can be shared?

A:

1. Alabama: Sorry! Our Alabama prisons aren't using the quitline. We do, however, have some prisons using Freedom from Smoking, the Lung Association on-site cessation program. If you'd like details on this, please contact Susan Altman at (334)206-2776.
    
   
2. Kentucky: Kentucky’s Department of Corrections reports that their correctional facilities do not allow inmates to call 800 numbers, nor are inmates allowed to receive scheduled calls. Currently about 20 percent of Kentucky’s prisons are smoke-free. There are plans to make all of Kentucky’s prisons smokefree eventually. Each prison has access to the local tobacco coordinator who can either facilitate a smoking cessation program within the facility or locate someone else to act as facilitator. All of Kentucky’s health departments offer the Cooper/Clayton Method to Stop Smoking within their local communities. This service is also available to the prisons/jails is the specific areas.
    
3. New York: In New York State, the Department of Health Tobacco Control Program (NYTCP) has developed a partnership with the Department of Corrections (DOCs) Health Services to provide inmates with Quitline and DOC facility health services based tobacco use cessation services. We have developed the attached protocol and will train DOC health care providers in the use of the protocol and NYS Smokers' Quitline services on October 28, 2009. The Quitline and cessation services will begin on October 29, 2009. Additional health services staff training in motivational counseling and other cessation services skills will be provided in the future.
    
   The available tobacco use cessation services will be advertised to the inmates through posters/flyers and DOC facility staff. A dedicated phone line at the NYS Smokers' Quitline has been established to accept collect calls from NYS DOC inmates. Calls will be answered and services provided during all regular Quitline hours. Inmates who call the Quitline will receive the same tobacco use cessation counseling/support, appropriate reading materials, and two week starter kit of NRT (if eligible) as those who call the 866-NY QUITS phone number. NRT (patches) is sent to the inmate c/o the DOC facility Health Services Director. Receipt of the product initiates the health services based cessation services for the inmate that includes biweekly health care provider appointments and up to an additional four weeks of patches. Inmates are encouraged to call the Quitline for additional support, as needed.
   
   Once the initiative begins, we anticipate changing the protocol to overcome unforeseen challenges with providing services in DOCs restrictive environment.
    
4. Minnesota: Minnesota is not currently working with inmates but is very interested in doing so.
    
5. Pennsylvania: Please see the attached PowerPoint presentation regarding our inmate cessation pilot project. As you will note, we are currently not using our Quitline for this pilot project; however, we appreciate the opportunity to share our efforts and work with others.
    
6. West Virginia: West Virginia has been working collaboratively with the Break Free Alliance for many years! All WV prisons are tobacco-free! While we utilized a quitline in only a small pilot project a few years back, we have not done any other work utilizing our quitline in the correctional setting.
    
7. Wyoming: The Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) decided to go tobacco free July 1, 2006. I worked with inmates and staff to help them quit smoking & chewing. First, we educated the entire population on the hazards of tobacco and benefits of quitting. Then we held group sessions and provided free nicotine gum, patch or lozenge for anyone willing to attempt quitting. Approximately 1,000 people went through the program in six months.
   
   The education session was mandatory for all inmates, tobacco user or not, in prison as well as the Honor Farm, Honor Camp, treatment facilities, etc. We had one-hour education sessions with 12-15 inmates, and then they could sign up for cessation services if they wanted to.
   
   There were two topics that interested inmates. (1) The trend of employers not to hire smokers (insurance cost, long breaks, more sick days, etc.), and (2) What tobacco does to the fetus (retards growth, fetal hypoxia, etc.).
   
   The WDOC felt it was important that every inmate get the opportunity to quit prior to the ban. No cessation services are offered now because no tobacco is allowed in the facilities. A quitline would be tough because of the outrageous charges for outgoing calls. We used a quitline for parolees and other off-site programs and it seemed to work OK.
   
   Feel free to contact rosi@johnsoncountycrc.org for more information.

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