Youth e-cigarette prevention funds to help communities curb vaping

MARSHFIELD – Reversing almost a decade of progress in youth tobacco prevention, e-cigarette use, commonly called vaping, is on the rise among Wisconsin’s teens.

Marshfield Clinic Health System, through its Center for Community Health Advancement (CCHA), is responding to this trend by providing funding to communities to focus on e-cigarette prevention efforts.

Announcement of this funding was made Wednesday at an “E-Cigarettes and Our Youth: Partners in Prevention” forum in Eau Claire, hosted by CCHA. A similar conference was held Thursday in Wausau. Attendees included representatives from health care organizations, human service agencies, law enforcement, as well as public health and prevention professionals, school administrators and people who work with youth. Topics were tobacco history and trends, tobacco policy, tobacco’s changing campaign, and youth-led prevention initiatives. Presenters represented The American Lung Association, county health departments and law enforcement.

“Our Health System is very concerned about e-cigarettes, vaping and the health impacts they are having on our youth,” said Jay Shrader, vice president, CCHA. “These funds are one way we plan to support our communities in addressing e-cigarette use. They represent a critical way we can invest in our communities.”

A recent Wisconsin Department of Health Services public health advisory noted that e-cigarette use has skyrocketed from 8% in 2014 to 20% in 2018 among Wisconsin teens, Shrader said, reversing almost a decade of progress in youth tobacco prevention.

The Health System is offering $500 stipends to community organizations and schools to mobilize discussion and efforts on e-cigarette initiatives, up to a total of $20,000. Organizations may use funding for planning or implementing initiatives, including trainings, education and awareness, policy alignment with state and federal initiatives, treatment or enforcement.

Examples of acceptable initiatives include:

• Creating a report or infographic using local e-cigarette data to communicate impact and dangers of youth e-cigarette use.
• Hosting a community gathering, like a town hall meeting, candidate/legislative education forum, sobriety pow wow, talking circle, nature walk, documentary or presentation, to educate and unite communities and candidates/current legislators on the topic of e-cigarettes.
• Implementing an effective drug prevention curriculum that includes e-cigarettes in school, after-school or community settings.
• Developing and implementing a youth-led action plan to address e-cigarette use in school.
• Collaborating with partners to establish formal changes in written procedures, bylaws, proclamations, rules or laws with written documentation and/or voting procedures around the issue of e-cigarettes.
• Providing an effective treatment program for e-cigarette and tobacco use to youth.
• Facilitating a program that focuses on alternatives to school suspension.

Organizations eligible to apply for grants must be tax-exempt, local government agencies or educational institutions. Proposed initiatives need to be conducted within the Health System service area.

For more information, an application form and map of the Health System’s service area, go to this website – https://www.marshfieldclinic.org/health-system/community-investments. Applications must be submitted by Friday, June 21, as an attachment via email to healthycommunitiesgrant@marshfieldclinic.org. Additional requests for information or questions can be sent to healthycommunitiesgrant@marshfieldclinic.org.

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Marshfield Clinic Health System is an integrated health system whose mission is to enrich lives through accessible, affordable compassionate health care. The Health System serves Wisconsin with more than 11,000 employees including over 1,200 providers comprising 86 specialties, health plan, and research and education programs. Primary operations include Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield Medical Center hospitals in Marshfield, Eau Claire, Rice Lake, Neillsville, Beaver Dam and Ladysmith, Marshfield Children’s Hospital, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Security Health Plan and Marshfield Clinic Health System Foundation. Learn more at marshfieldclinic.org.