Baby & Me Tobacco Cessation Program Receives K21 Grant
Baby & Me Tobacco Cessation Program Receives K21 Grant
Posted
Staff Report-
Baby & Me Tobacco Cessation Program Receives K21 GrantThe K21 Health Foundation has made a $12,034 grant to the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition for its Baby & Me program.
The project offers incentive-based help to expectant moms with smoking cessation.
Baby & Me is an evidence-based smoking cessation program that was created to help pregnant women stop smoking through counseling support and other resources. Since the coalition launched Baby & Me in Kosciusko County in July 2017, 12 women have participated in the program and successfully quit smoking
Although research has proven that smoking is harmful to a baby’s health, both before and after birth, in Kosciusko County 14.3 percent of pregnant women continue to smoke during their pregnancies. Studies have shown smoking increases the risk of preterm delivery, stillbirth, low birthweight and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
“Smoking and other tobacco use is the number one preventable killer in our country, and both Indiana and more specifically Kosciusko County are smoking at a higher rate than our national average,” said Rich Haddad, K21 president and CEO. “Although we’ve seen use decrease in recent years, this continues to be a major health issue in our community.
“As an organization dedicated to improving health in Kosciusko County, K21 recognizes a responsibility to make sure that resources are available for pregnant women who want to quit smoking but need help to do so.”
Heidi Blake, director of the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition, said “Baby & Me is a four-session, incentive-based program that provides vouchers for expectant moms who successfully meet the goal of quitting smoking.
“If women are smoke-free by the third or fourth sessions, they can receive vouchers redeemable for diapers. And if they continue to remain smoke-free after delivery, they will receive additional vouchers for the next twelve months.”
For more information about the Baby & Me program, please contact the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition, operating under the umbrella of the Health Community Coalition of Kosciusko County, by calling 574-372-3514. The coalition office is located at 1515 Provident Drive, in the Health Services Pavilion.
