Tobacco Treatment Services at BMC

OVERVIEW

Berkshire Medical Center Tobacco Treatment Services provides smoking cessation counseling to anyone wishing to change his or her smoking behavior. We focus on behavioral change, pharmacological aids, and the psychological factors associated with quitting.

QUALITY CARE

Tobacco Treatment Services at BMC has been selected by the federal Centers for Disease Control as a "Best Practice" for treating nicotine dependence in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

ACCESSING OUR PROGRAM

Anyone can self-refer to our program by calling 413-499-2602. We provide both individual and group counseling. Individual appointments are available Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 6:30 pm. All individual and group sessions are held at the Hillcrest Campus of Berkshire Medical Center. Worksite treatment groups are also available for area employers. Information on these can be made available upon request.

TOBACCO TREATMENT CLASSES

Tobacco treatment classes are held regularly throughout the year, with each program running on five consecutive Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Hillcrest Campus of Berkshire Medical Center. To register, call 413-499-2602.

2008 Classes

September 4th to October 2nd
October 23rd to November 20th
December 1st to December 29th (held on Mondays instead of Thursdays for this series only)

2009 Classes

January 8th to February 5th
February 19th to March 19th
April 2nd to to April 30th
May 14th to June 11th

OUR STAFF

Services are provided by experienced counselors, all of whom were trained at the University of Massachusetts Medical School's Division of Preventive and Behavioral Health, through its internationally respected Tobacco Treatment Certification Program. We are:

Carol McMahon, MS, Master Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist
Rebecca Walsh, BA, Certified Tobacco Treatment Counselor
Maria Ahlin, M.Ed., CTTS-M, Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist

COLLABORATIONS

Tobacco Treatment Services works collaboratively with many other BHS programs, such as Berkshire North WIC, Operation Better Start, Maternal and Child Health services, Respiratory Therapy, Berkshire Occupational Health and the McGee Substance Abuse Unit. The department also has working relationships with several community agencies, including the Brien Center and Berkshire Area Health Education Center.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

The department recently was awarded a 5-year grant to design and implement a creative and innovative treatment program for working with pregnant and parenting women.

Annually, Tobacco Treatment Services also conducts a program at the Kripalu Institute for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA. This program, called "Take a Weekend to Quit", is an intensive, residential, 3-day treatment program which includes an eclectic array of treatment strategies for groups of 25 people. This "Weekend" model (designed and authored by Carol McMahon), has 1-year quit rates consistently over 60%, and has been copied by other treatment programs nationally. The next "Weekend to Quit" will be held in 2009. More information can be obtained by calling Kripalu at 413-448-3400.