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TTY: 1-888-229-2182

The Massachusetts Smokers’ Helpline: What’s New?

How to Make QuitWorks Work for You and Your Patients

Caroline Cranos, MPH, NCTTPUMass Medical School

Why Refer to the Helpline?

• Effective: The Helpline offers coaching that, when combined with cessation medications, offers your patients the best chance of becoming tobacco-free. Counseling + Medication works!

• Accessible: All services are free –including nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and patients can access services via phone or internet.

• Easy: QuitWorks referral tools make it easy for busy clinicians to refer patients to evidence-based help in quitting.

The Helpline can help your patientsquit or cut down their tobacco use!

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Working towards Racial Equity: The Helpline Can Assist Allof Your Clients in Quitting

• Research shows that people of color are less likely to be offered assistance by their providers in quitting.

• Unfortunately, they are also more likely to bear the burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality.

• Black smokers are more likely to use menthol products, due to years of targeted marketing by the tobacco industry.

• Smokers of all races and ethnicities are interested in quitting!

MA Smokers’ Helpline: What Does it Offer?• Free coaching: trained quit coaches work

with participants• Three options for support:• Phone coaching• Phone + online coaching• Online only

• Text messaging and email support• 8 weeks of FREE NRT (if medically

approved) – patches, lozenges, or gum shipped to client’s home

• Access to an online community of others working to become tobacco free

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MA Smokers Helpline: Who Can Enroll – and How?Enrollee or Caller must be:• Massachusetts Resident• 12 years of age or older for the coaching program• 18 years of age or older and participating in coaching to receive

cessation medicationHow to enroll:• Provider Referral: QuitWorks Referral (Fax, Web, eReferral)• Online enrollment: QuitLogix https://ma.quitlogix.org/en-US/

or MakeSmokingHistory.org • Self Referral: Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or Enroll online

5 Call Program• 1 Intake Call

o Intake call may be up to 45 minutes• Up to 5 Coaching Calls (Outbound at scheduled

times)*• Unlimited inbound calls for support• English, Spanish, and Arabic speaking coaches

onsite; 190 other languages through 3rd party translation service

* More for certain priority programs

Helpline Program: What Does it Look Like?

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Text Messaging & EmailText messaging• Tips, motivation, and encouragement• Messages customized by tobacco type, assessing

mood, craving, and tobacco status• Coaching call appointment reminders• NRT shipment status updatesEmail Program• Motivational and informational messages• Re-engagement messages when needed• Automatic opt-in for those providing email

addresses at intake

FREE evidence-based provider referral program Connects patients with phone-based counseling through the

Massachusetts Smokers’ Helpline Provider receives feedback reports to stay informed of their patient’s

progress (if HIPAA compliant) Free technical assistance and training available to Massachusetts

health systems, including large practices, health centers, behavioral health facilities, and hospitals

Helps your organization meet quality measures with respect to tobacco treatment

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QuitWorks Fax Form

Side 2 lists special programs

Providers can refer clients electronically by using the Quitlogix website:

https://ma.quitlogix.org/en-US/Just-Looking/Health-Professional

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Engaging Patients about Their Tobacco Use

1. Ask every patient at each encounter about his or her tobacco use and document status.2. Advise every tobacco user to quit with a clear, strong personalized message about the benefits of quitting.3. Refer patients who are ready or considering quitting tobacco.

Tips for Referring

• Patients can be referred to the Helpline even if they aren’t sure they want to quit. The Helpline can answer questions, provide NRT, and discuss motivation with your patients.

• Make sure patients understand how and when they will be contacted.

• Refer through QuitWorks so you receive feedback reports.• You can order free educational materials from the

Massachusetts Health Promotion Clearinghouse https://massclearinghouse.ehs.state.ma.us/

• For patients not ready to quit or cut down:• Have educational and motivational materials available. • Talk about tobacco use at each visit – you never know

when someone will be interested in change!

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• Perinatal program• Youth• Behavioral Health• Menthol• American Indian

9 Coaching Calls: 5 during pregnancy and 4 duringpostpartum

Same dedicated quit coach for all calls Must be currently pregnant to enroll and can earn up

to $65 on a Mastercard gift card ($5 Pregnancy calls, $10 Post Partum Calls)

Text messaging and email support throughoutprogram

Targeted materials

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Designated coaching model for youth-specific and developmentally appropriate cessation needs

Specifically trained Youth Coach Specialists for all youthparticipants

Call or text “Start My Quit” to 1-855-891-9989 –https://mylifemyquit.com/

Youth smoking and vaping program (for youth 12-17 years old)

Behavioral Health Program• 7 coaching calls (instead of the typical 5)• If you met certain medical eligibility requirements, 8 weeks of

NRT is provided FREE of charge after speaking with a Quit coach• Either Patches, Gum, or Lozenges are shipped directly to your

home• You are eligible for the behavioral health protocol if you match the

following criteria:• Have at least one of the following behavioral health conditions:

Anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, or substance abuse

• Are 18 years or older at intake• Are ready to quit within 30 days

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Program for Clients Who Use Menthol*

• Client will receive $10 after completing the first coaching call, $15 after the second coaching call, and $25 after the third coaching call

• While the incentive does not continue after the third call, 5 coaching calls are offered

• If client enrolls online, they must complete coaching calls via telephone to receive the incentive(s)

• If client meets certain medical eligibility requirements, 8 weeks of NRT is provided FREE after speaking with a Quit coach

• If client is enrolled in the menthol incentive program, they may also receive services under the Behavioral Health Program* Incentive program may be time limited per availability of funds)

All callers who identify as AI are offered theAmerican Indian Commercial Tobacco Program

Dedicated phone number and website: 1-855-372-0037 – https://americanindian.quitlogix.org/

Up to 10 coaching calls with dedicated AI coaches Text messaging and email support 8 weeks of NRT

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• 2 treatment regimens covered in a 12 month cycle

• A treatment regimen includes a 90 daysupply of NRT, Bupropion, or Chantix without prior authorization (PA)

• Nicotine nasal spray and inhaler require PA• OTC medications have no restrictions on

quantity limits• Patients need a prescription for OTC

medications

MassHealth Tobacco Cessation Pharmacotherapy Benefit

“This is Quitting” Customized for Massachusetts Youth and Young Adults

To enroll in the program, text “VapeFreeMass” to 88709

“This is Quitting,” a program of the Truth Initiative, is a free text program for youth/young adults (13 to 24) who want to quit vaping

Users receive at least 4 weeks of messages focused on building skills and confidence before and after their quit date 

Additional Youth Resource

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Smoking Cessation Materials

Free materials from the 

MassachusettsHealth 

Promotion Clearinghouse:www.maclearing

house.org

Additional Training for Clinicians

Interested in learning more about tobacco use disorder and treatment?

UMass Medical School offers an accredited Tobacco Treatment Specialist training. Scholarships may be available. For more info, contact Caroline.cranos@umassmed.edu

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Caroline Cranos, MPH, NCTTP; Contract Managercaroline.cranos@umassmed.edu

Phone: 508-688-9829

Free technical assistance and training available to Massachusetts health systems, including large practices, health centers, behavioral health facilities, and hospitals.

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