Tobacco Control
Latino-Hispanic Community Health Action and Mapping Project (L/H CHAMP)
Breathe California Central Coast (BCCC) is implementing a state-funded tobacco cessation initiative in Monterey County targeting the Latino community entitled “Latino-Hispanic Community Health Action and Mapping Project” (L/H-CHAMP) in collaboration with the Monterey County Health Department, the Tobacco Coalition, and the California Hispanic/Latino Tobacco Education Partnership. This program is based upon specific recommendations developed by a grass-roots Community Planning Group (CPG) that was identified, convened and facilitated by BCCC over the past twelve months.
For the next two years BCCC will be serving the Hispanic and Latino population of the City of Salinas and Salinas Valley areas in Monterey County.
During the two-year project we will be working with private business owners and property managers to develop and implement sign policies that prohibit smoking in entryways up to 20 feet away from building entrances to protect the community from the health dangers of second hand smoke.
The goal of these interventions is to change community tobacco-related norms and to deglamorise tobacco use through educational outreach, media and community activities concerning the health dangers of tobacco use and second hand smoke (SHS).
Other activities will include campaign promotion on smoke-free entryways to protect people with health problems that can be triggered or worsened by second hand smoke.
BCCC will also work with one local clinic and one local health agency serving the Hispanic and Latino communities of Monterey County to promote the CA Smokers Helpline 1-800- NO-FUME services and cessation education by adoption of a tobacco user identification (TUI) system that follows the U.S. Public Health Services Clinical guidelines for cessation “Ask, Advise, and Refer”.
Through clinic/agency staff, patients/participants will receive advice on quitting tobacco use, educational materials and referrals to services in the local area. The goal of these interventions is to reach a larger number of the population and reveal existing services while having the chance to educate the Hispanic and Latino (H/L) population on the health benefits of cessation.
California Smokers Helpline materials and other tobacco educational information in Spanish will be distributed to local clinics/health agencies, markets, and other places the H/L population frequent. In addition, BCCC staff will train Promotores to educate the community members about the dangers of SHS and tobacco use.