Tobacco Prevention and Cessation co-hosts training

On Oct. 21, the Putnam County Tobacco Prevention and Cessation is partnering with the Hamilton Center, Hendricks County Coalition for Tobacco Intervention and Prevention, English Family Farms and Mental Health of America of Putnam County to sponsor a mental health professionals training addressing tobacco in individuals with mental illness.

Dr. Jill Williams, MD will present at Area 30 Career Center, 1 North Calbert Way, Greencastle, in the Community Room from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dr. Williams is a Board Certified Addictions Psychiatrist specializing in the treatment of tobacco and other addictions in mentally ill populations. She is an Associate Professor and Director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Psychiatry. She also holds faculty appointments with the UMDNJ-School of Public Health Tobacco Dependence Program in New Brunswick and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

Attendees will gain awareness and knowledge of the prevalence of tobacco use among persons with co-occurring psychiatric and addictive disorders. Also, they will gain awareness and knowledge of the impact of tobacco use on recovery in smokers with co-occurring disorders, knowledge of tobacco dependence treatments (motivational, behavioral, pharmacological), and confidence in providing comprehensive tobacco dependence treatment to smokers. Several other topics will be discussed related to tobacco issues within these populations.

Attendees should include psychiatrists, mental health and addictions counselors, social workers, case managers, doctors, nurses, medical professionals and anyone that provides care for those with mental illness/addictions. The cost is free.

For more information or to register for the training, please contact Meredith Williams at 765-655-2697 or email pctobacco@gmail.com. Registration is required by Oct. 16.