4400 Auburn Blvd., 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95841
(916) 929-9761
The Tobacco Education Prevention Technical Support Center (TEPTS)
- Becoming a Community Tobacco Educator
- Adult Tobacco Survey
- Cultural Competency Training
- Mini-Grant Program Information
- Mini-Grant Program Application
- Fast Facts on American Indian and Alaska Natives and Smoking (2000)
Becoming a Community Tobacco Educator
By attending a Community Tobacco Educator (CTE) training, you will increase your knowledge, resource base and skill level in the areas of commercial tobacco abuse prevention and traditional tobacco education. With this useful information, you will be able to conduct public activities and projects in your community. The training also provides resources to aid those addicted to commercial tobacco who want to quit. You will receive information on other tobacco-related topics, such as, but not limited to:
- Advocacy in your community
- Cessation
- Chew and smokeless tobacco
- Cultural competency
- Media development
- Mini-grant development
- Presentation skills
- Secondhand Smoke (SHS) policy development
- Social marketing
- Tobacco 101
- Traditional Tobacco
- Tribal community policy
- Working with youth and using a youth curriculum
With these newly acquired skills, a Community Tobacco Educator can assist in improving the health of their communities.
Adult Tobacco Survey
During the summer of 2004, the Adult Tobacco Survey (ATS), a collaborative effort between the CDC, Tribal Support Centers, and Tribes, will be administered nationally. The California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. is one of six Support Centers for Tobacco Control participating in the survey project. The ATS will empower tribes to selectively gather tobacco-specific data related to their tribe, direct program planning, evaluate programs, define program priorities, develop specific intervention strategies and policies, assess trends, and target relevant population groups.
Although there have been previous studies related to tobacco prevalence among AI/AN youth and adults, in most studies the number of American Indians that participated was so low that specific data related to that population was irrelevant. To date, no conclusive tobacco use studies have been done specifically for the California American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) population. The high prevalence of tobacco use, its serious health consequences, and lack of attention paid to tobacco abuse in AI/AN populations supports the need to implement a comprehensive and culturally relevant Adult Tobacco Survey (ATS).
Cultural Competency Training
California Rural Indian Health Board's tobacco programs have been working with the California Smokers' Helpline for several years. The working relationship was initiated by the American Indian Tobacco Education Network (AITEN) in 1990. AITEN conducted research in the 11 CRIHB clinics in order to gather relevant information of helpline utility. One of the identified barriers of the helpline was the lack of helpline counselors' cultural competence. Thus, the Tobacco Education and Prevention Technical Support (TEPTS) Center established trainings with the helpline. Provided at the California Smokers' Helpline headquarters site, our trainings provide education on the importance of traditional tobacco in our native communities. We also educate on some communication characteristics one might find in talking with a rural American Indian/Alaska Native. Our trainings are held twice a year or upon request from the helpline.
Quitting
is easier with help!
Call the California Smokers' Helpline:
1-800-NO-BUTTS
(1-800-662-8887)
Tobacco Education & Prevention Technical Support Center
Mini-Grant Program Funding Requirements
The Tobacco Education & Prevention Technical Support (TEPTS) Center
Mini-grant Program funding is made possible by the Centers for Disease
Control & Prevention (CDC). Approximately $ 24,000 has been allocated
for addressing tobacco education issues in American Indian communities,
and will be distributed via mini-grants, which have a maximum award of
$1,600 for any one project.
Mini-grants can be used to fund a variety of community based activities,
including but not limited to culturally specific and smoke-free events
such as health fairs, traditional gatherings, powwows and Native garden
projects. Eligible applicants include the TEPTS service area of California,
Nevada, and Utah tribes and AI/AN organizations. Mini-grants cannot
be awarded to organizations that receive tobacco industry sponsorship.
The same organization may apply consecutively in different funding cycles
to the TEPTS Center. However, applications from organizations which have
not been previously funded will be given priority. Applications will be
reviewed by the TEPTS Center Mini-Grant Subcommittee (MGS). The organization
submitting a completed application will be notified of the award within
two weeks after the subcommittee has met to review and score all mini-grants.
All decisions of the MGS are final. The MGS may approve full or partial
funding of the project. TEPTS Center funding priority areas include:
- Eliminate Exposure To Secondhand Smoke By Tribal Policy and/or Smoke-Free Homes Pledge
- Prevent Commercial Tobacco Use Among Indian Youth
- Promote Cessation Among Indian Adults and Youth
Applications must be submitted to TEPTS center 30 days prior to project start date. If you have questions, call the helpline at (916) 929-9761.
Mini-Grant Program Application
Funding American Indian Community Tobacco
Education Events Through September 2004
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Tobacco Education & Prevention Technical Support
Center (TEPTS)
A program of the California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc.
4400 Auburn Blvd., 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95841
Phone: (916) 929-9761
Fax: (916) 929-7246
Download
TEPTS Application (Word) (PDF)
Applications must be submitted to TEPTS center 30 days prior to project
start date. If you have questions, call the helpline at (916) 929-9761.
Fast Facts on American Indian and Alaska Natives and Smoking (2000)
Smoking Prevalence
Smoking prevalence among American Indians is at 34.1% out of the 2 million
Americans (AI represent 0.7% of population). Currently 360,000 American
Indians live in California.
At a 30% prevalence rate, California American Indians and Alaska Natives have higher adult current smoking prevalence than any other racial/ethnic group in California. Rates of smoking among American Indians and Alaska Natives vary by region:
- Alaska 45.1%
- North Plains 44.2% (heavy prevalence smoking is 13.5%)
- Southwest 17%
- National rates of smoking among gender and age (ages 18-44):
- Woman 43%
- Men 37.9%
- National Rate of High school students who are current smokers:
- Males (ages 14-18) 41.1%
Females (ages 14-18) 39.4%
Health Effects
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among American Indians
and Alaska Natives (men 33.5% and woman 18.4%). Cardiovascular disease
is the leading cause of death among American Indians and Alaska natives. Tobacco is a major related factor in both these conditions.
Secondhand Smoke (SHS) and American Indians and Alaska Natives
Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar and the smoke that is exhaled from the lungs of the smoker.
- Secondhand smoke exposure causes:
- Low birth weight
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Childhood asthma
- American Indian SHS Statistics:
- 42.1% live in homes where others smoke
- 69.7% are around smokers outside their home
- 90.8% think that secondhand smoke is harmful to them
References: Department of Health Services, 2001
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Cigarette smoking Among
Adults-United States, 1999 The Cost of Smoking and Environmental Exposure
in California American Indian Communities, AITEN, 2000 Centers For Disease
Control and prevention (CDC) Smoking among ethnic populations: American
Indians and Alaska Natives, 2000 American Lung Association, Statistics
on American Indians and Smoking, 2000