Riley County Health Department Awarded Grant
from State of Kansas (KDHE)

Unique program will benefit thousands

Manhattan - The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has awarded the Riley County Manhattan Health Department a major grant to expand tobacco use prevention efforts in Riley County.

Wednesday, November 30, 2005 Representative Sydney Carlin (D-Manhattan) presented the Riley County Manhattan Health Department with a check for $95,000.00.

Earlier this year, the state legislature increased funding to tobacco prevention programs. Local communities applied to KDHE for these funds to work on tobacco-related issues at a local level.

"We currently have an effective, successful infrastructure operating in Riley County, but the programs do not have funding to make the impact we need to make," says Grant Coordinator Joan Smith. "This grant is going to allow us to build on the valuable programs we have in place and do so with comprehensive level funding, the level that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends."

The Riley County Health Department will receive approximately $95,000.00 in cash, plus more than $250,000.00 in direct assistance to support comprehensive tobacco prevention programs. These grant funds are awarded by KDHE.

These funds will go to programs that are working on four goals:

. Providing free assistance to Kansans who want to quit smoking. . Making it harder for minors to purchase tobacco. . Working to make the indoor air Kansans breathe safer. . Concentrating on communities that are affected by tobacco use more so than others.

"We are thrilled to see the innovative efforts that are on-going in Riley County," says Kansas Tobacco Use Prevention Program Director Julia Francisco. "This grant will allow Riley County to comprehensively address tobacco use prevention and ultimately save lives."

In the 2005 legislative session, the Kansas legislators allocated $1 million for tobacco prevention efforts. These funds have been distributed in the form of grants to communities across the state that already have an existing infrastructure through their local health departments to work on tobacco use prevention issues. Many of these counties have other grants that promote healthy lifestyles and are busy working on programs that are within the CDC's guidelines and proven effective. With this allotment from the legislature, more funds are available to enhance these effective programs so they are able to build on their successes and do so with comprehensive level funding.

KDHE's Tobacco Use Prevention Program provides support for state and local coalitions and funds for the Tobacco Quitline program through grants from the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Legacy Foundation. For more information on the Kansas Tobacco Use Prevention Program, go to www.kdheks.gov/tobacco.

The toll-free Kansas Tobacco Quitline, 1-866-KAN STOP is a useful and effective tool for tobacco users who are ready to quit. Kansas Tobacco Quitline, 1-866-KAN-STOP, is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Experienced cessation counselors work with the caller to prepare for a quit date and help them make a free personalized quit plan. The one-on-one telephone counseling sessions are scheduled at times convenient for the caller. Callers are encouraged to contact the Quitline as many times as possible to help them meet their goals.

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