Addressing Tobacco Use and Mental Health Challenges in Postpartum Individuals – Part 2

Pregnant and postpartum individuals with mental health (MH) challenges who use tobacco often encounter stigma and shame when engaging in care. As a result, these individuals are likely to experience avoidable and unjust disparities in care.

Peer support services can be an empathetic approach to offering engagement and support for pregnant and postpartum individuals with co-occurring MH challenges and tobacco use disorder. Educating health care systems to implement policy changes in tandem with supportive services can offer long-term, concrete solutions.

Join the National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control, operated by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2-3 p.m. ET, for Part 2 of our series, Addressing Tobacco Use and Mental Health Challenges in Postpartum Individuals – Part 2. This webinar will highlight case studies, discussion and analysis of strategies to support postpartum individuals with MH challenges who use tobacco.

By joining this webinar, participants will:

• Understand risk factors, protective factors and outcomes around tobacco use and cessation during the postpartum period for individuals with MH and substance use (MH/SU) challenges.
• Be able to identify evidence-based interventions to support tobacco cessation during their postpartum period.
• Learn about national and state resources to support individuals with MH/SU challenges who use tobacco during the postpartum period.

The webinar will feature the following speaker:

Rebecca Richey, Psy.D., Clinical Director, Colorado Women’s Collaborative Healthcare

Resources/Supports:

• Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale https://med.stanford.edu/content/dam/sm/ppc/documents/DBP/EDPS_text_added.pdf
• Peer Navigator Postpartum Training: https://www.2020mom.org/peer-addon-training
• Try SmokefreeMOM. This text message program gives 24/7 support to pregnant women. Enter your child’s due date to receive customized messages that match where you are in your pregnancy. Then, choose your goal of the program: to quit smoking or receive messages on smoking and health. You have the option to receive support even if you’re not yet ready to quit permanently. Sign up online or text MOM to 222888 to join now. Mobile Number
• Join the Smokefree Women Facebook page. Women who have quit, or are trying to quit, offer one another advice and inspiration.
• Make your phone your quit buddy. Download quitSTART or QuitGuide, Smokefree’s free smartphone apps. Track your cravings by time and location to help you see patterns so you can stay in control. They also have ways to see your progress and fun distractions to keep you from having a slip.
• Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to speak with a quit smoking counselor. Get information and encouragement or referrals to local programs.
• Log on to LiveHelp, an online chat service, available Monday through Friday 9:00am-9:00pm Eastern Time. A trained specialist will give you support and quit smoking information.

Did you miss Part 1 of the series? Watch the recording on-demand!