Are you a smoke-free champion?

Do you know a VCH employee or team who has shown exemplary leadership, creativity, commitment and innovation in the advancement of tobacco control services in our health authority? If so, nominations are now being accepted for Vancouver Coastal Health’s Smoke-Free Excellence Award, until November 4th 2013.

Previous winners include Dr. Milan Khara for his dedication and leadership in Tobacco Control throughout VCH and Canada, and Vancouver’s Tobacco Dependence Clinic for its commitment to offering much needed tobacco cessation support to VCH addictions clients. Initiatives involving one or more of the following will be considered: tobacco cessation, prevention, or protection from second-hand smoke.

REGISTRATION AND NOMINATION THROUGH THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT

The recipient will be honoured at VCH’s Tobacco Addiction Withdrawal Management Course (TAWM) held on November 20th and 21st, 2013 and presented by Dr. Meena Dewar, Medical Health Officer for Vancouver.

Tobacco Addiction Withdrawal Management (TAWM) is a two day INTRODUCTORY course focused on intensive smoking cessation counselling skills. TAWM offers practical hands-on tools and strategies to support best practices, systematic approach to screening and treatment of tobacco dependence. Topics covered include tobacco dependence physiology, pharmacotherapy and behavioural therapy techniques. It is highly recommended that all participants complete the online course ‘From Theory to Practice’ (Cessation Module only) found on the following website: http://tobaccocourse.otru.org/.

A letter of completion for TAWM Vancouver 2013 will be issued to participants who attend both days of TAWM and who have completed the ‘From Theory to Practice’ (Cessation Module – minimum grade of 60%) online course.