Southern Maine Health Care has been recognized at the Platinum Level as a Gold Star Champion by the Breathe Easy initiative. SUBMITTED PHOTO
BIDDEFORD — Southern Maine Health Care has been recognized by the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence’s Breathe Easy initiative for its efforts to prohibit smoke and tobacco use on campus and address client tobacco use.
This is the ninth year SMHC has participated in the initiative showing a longstanding commitment to addressing tobacco use and exposure.
The Breathe Easy Tobacco-Free Hospital initiative at the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence is dedicated to providing Maine’s hospitals with the information and resources needed to make all organizations smoke and tobacco-free. The program is funded by Maine Prevention Services, an initiative through the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention working across the state to impact tobacco, substance use, and obesity.
SMHC was recognized for meeting the Platinum Level in the 2018 Gold Star Standards of Excellence Program for efforts to prohibit smoke and tobacco use on campus and address client tobacco use. The Platinum Level was added this year to encourage hospitals to include explicit language with regard to five additional requirements ranging from updating policy language to providing details about how employees access tobacco education to better serve their patients.
“Southern Maine Health Care has a mission to improve the health of the communities it serves,” said Betsy Kelly, director of Partners For Healthier Communities at Southern Maine Health Care. “As part of this mission we are committed to providing a tobacco-free environment for patients, visitors and staff, and providing anyone ready to stop using tobacco with the support they need to be successful. We are very pleased to be recognized for our efforts at the Platinum Level by the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence.”
Among the individual awards this year, SMHC Respiratory Therapist Michele Michaud, was recognized as a Gold Star Champion for demonstrating strong leadership and advocacy for tobacco-free environments and resources.
All Maine hospitals are invited and encouraged to apply for recognition; and award levels are based on best practice criteria such as a smoke and tobacco-free campus policy, annual screening for tobacco use, referral to tobacco treatment and supporting employee education related to tobacco treatment.
SMHC includes a full service, acute care medical center in Biddeford, with York County’s only inpatient mental health unit with emergency care, surgical services, and diagnostic and therapy services available at SMHC’s Medical Centers in Biddeford and Sanford. The organization offers primary care and multi-specialty physician services, diagnostic and therapy services, and Walk-In Care centers in various York County communities including Biddeford, Kennebunk, Saco, Sanford and Waterboro.
For more information about Gold Star Standards of Excellence recognition program, please visit www.BreatheEasyMaine.org/Gold-Star-Standards-of-Excellence.
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