WICHITA, KAN. — With more than $1.4 million, KHF will support seven organizations within the behavioral health system to shift toward being tobacco-free as well as advocate for increased coverage and usage of tobacco-dependence treatment benefits.

Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable death and illness in Kansas, and research shows that smoking disproportionately affects individuals with a mental health diagnosis. KHF envisions a culture in which every Kansan can make healthy choices where they live, work, and play, and the Foundation aims to reduce tobacco use among individuals with a serious mental illness.

“This population is significantly more likely to smoke, and this high rate of use contributes to the fact that individuals with a serious mental health condition are dying 25 years earlier than other Kansans,” said Jeff Willett, KHF Vice President for Programs and Policy.

Organizations that have received funding:

• Central Kansas Foundation – $115,000 The Central Kansas Foundation, a substance abuse treatment facility, will implement a tobacco-free facility policy and fully integrate tobacco use dependence treatment into its services.
• DCCCA – $156,633  DCCCA will integrate a variety of cessation interventions into its programming at two of its substance use treatment facilities, including education resources, nicotine replacements, medications, and behavioral health services.
• Episcopal Social Services – $203,763 ESS will partner with Inter-Faith Ministries to make each of its campuses tobacco free, train staff in best practices, and provide cessation counseling to consumers.
• Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas – $192,665  MHA will reduce tobacco use among individuals with a serious mental illness who receive MHA services, and will educate direct care personnel on best practices for tobacco cessation.
• NAMI Kansas – $299,870  The Kansas Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will utilize an inter-agency, multi-disciplinary policy and systems approach to advocate for expanded coverage of tobacco dependence treatment by health insurance providers, increased utilization of treatment benefits, and improved availability of tobacco cessation services.
• Prairie View – $300,000  Prairie View, the designated community mental health center for Harvey, Marion, and McPherson counties, will incorporate universal screening for tobacco use and implement cessation counseling and coaching to support those trying to quit.
• University of Kansas – $264,618  KU will support culture change in treatment systems for people with mental illness/substance use disorders by 1) training and embedding tobacco treatment specialists in treatment facilities and peer programs; and 2) training pharmacists how to dispense and get reimbursed for medications.