The Saint Barnabas Health Care System is embarking on an important initiative to ensure a healthy and smoke-free environment for patients and their families, employees and physicians. As many restaurants, businesses and educational institutions have adopted
smoke-free initiatives through the Clean Indoor Air Act, hospitals and health care systems across the nation are doing so as well.
SBHCS is committed to the creation and maintenance of a healthy workplace for all. Becoming a tobacco-free workplace is a critical
part of that commitment.
As a result, Community Medical Center, Kimball Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center, Kensington Manor, Saint Barnabas
Behavioral Health Center, System Business Office in Oceanport and all SBHCS facilities in Southern New Jersey will begin a
year-long transition to conclude on November 20, the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, when all of our
Southern campuses will officially be smoke-free. The Northern campuses will soon follow in 2009 as the second phase of the initiative.
Tobacco treatment for employees is being offered through The Institute for Prevention, Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health, Tobacco
Dependence Treatment Program .
Quit-meetings will be offered at every location with flexible times to accommodate different shifts.
The program consists of individual tobacco assessments for each interested employee. After the assessment is completed the
employee will work with a Tobacco Treatment Specialist to create a treatment plan best suited to that individual’s needs. The
employee will then attend an 8-week quit program at a cost of $15 per session, refundable at 80% of cost at completion of the
program. The total cost of the program after program completion and reimbursement is $24.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) (nicotine patches, nicotine gum, or nicotine lozenges) will be available at a discount.
Prescription medications to assist in quitting smoking are covered under the Saint Barnabas Health Care plan, which includes a
required co-payment.
Tobacco Treatment Services will be offered free of charge to any member of the employee’s household who attends the
quit-meetings with the employee.
smokefree@sbhcs.com
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