People who access community services often have considerably higher smoking rates than the general population and face additional barriers that can make quitting more difficult. Community service organisations are uniquely placed to provide trusted support and foster a positive culture that encourages and enables people to quit smoking and vaping.
Our Tackling Tobacco program aims to reduce smoking-related harm among priority populations by partnering with community service organisations to embed tailored quit support into everyday care through an organisation-wide, change-based approach.
Richmind WA, Western Australia's largest mental health provider, recently participated in the program to strengthen smoking and vaping cessation support for clients and staff. For more than 50 years, Richmind WA has delivered person-centred, recovery-focused mental health services across metropolitan and regional WA, supporting around 340 clients through residential and outreach programs.
In Australia, while rates of smoking have been declining overall, it remains high for people experiencing mental health challenges. People with who have experienced recent mental illness have higher smoking rates, higher rates of dependence to nicotine and experience a greater financial strain and health burden from smoking than the general population or those who have not been diagnosed or treated for mental illness. 1 Recognising the important role community services can play in supporting people to quit, Richmind WA embraced the opportunity to make quit support a routine part of the care it provides.
Led by its Tackling Tobacco Champion, Richmind WA implemented a range of environmental and system-level changes to better support people who want to quit smoking and vaping. These initiatives have created a healthier, smoke-free and vape-free environments for clients and staff while contributing to improved health, wellbeing and quality of life.
