Shalon Bogard

Monique Monanu originally began working in Tobacco Prevention and Cessation in 2003 as a secretary and then was promoted to Accounting Technician.  She returned to TPCP in November of 2011 as a Health Program Specialist working with sub grants and contracts.  Previously, Monique worked in the Center for Health Advancement-Center Support as a Procurement Specialist.  Monique holds an Associate of Arts degree from UALR and is currently working toward a BBA Management degree at UALR. She has attended the National School of Real Estate and obtained her real estate license.  She has over eight years of finance/procurement experience.  She has lived in North Little Rock all of her life and enjoys spending time with her children, shopping and traveling.

Debbie Rushing joins the TPCP team after 16 years as a Tobacco Intervention Specialist at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Debbie obtained a master’s level certification in Tobacco Treatment from the University of Massachusetts Medical School.  In addition to her tobacco control experience, she is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADAC) and holds a B.S. degree in Community Health from UALR.

Events

January – March 2012

Title of Event:

MISRGO Y.E.S. Performance Troupe Tryouts

Date of Event:

January 21, 2012 | 10 a.m.

Location of Event:

Family Service Agency

628 W. Broadway, Suite 202

North Little Rock, AR 72114

Contact Information:

Chantel Tucker at ctucker@fsainc.org

Description of Event:

CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL SINGERS, DANCERS, ACTORS, ENERGETIC and PASSIONATE individuals. HEY, YOU THERE! Are you passionate about the fight against big tobacco? Are you tired of watching the people that you know, love and care about being victimized by the tobacco industry? Well, ACT LIKE YOU KNOW that you have what it takes to stop this epidemic by trying out for the MISRGO Y.E.S. performance troupe.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

Quarterly Meeting for TPCP Funded Community Sub-Grantees

Date of Event:

January 24, 2012 | 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Location of Event: 

Freeway Medical Building

5800 West 10^th Street, Suite 906

Little Rock, AR 72204

Contact Information: 

Beccy Secrest at 501-661-2048 or Rebecca.Secrest@arkansas.gov

Description of Event:

Meeting conducted to provide updates/training to sub-grantees who receive funding for Community-Based Tobacco Prevention & Education Programs.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

Arkansas Cancer Coalition Regional Meeting

Date of Event:

January 31, 2012 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Location of Event:

Donald W. Reynolds Community Center

211 West 3^rd Avenue

Pine Bluff, AR 71601

Contat Information:

Visit www.arcancercoalition.org or call 501-603-5209

Description of Event:

The Arkansas Cancer Coalition (ACC) invites all members in Southeast and Central Arkansas to discuss cancer control news and information at the Coalition’s first Regional Meeting in Pine Bluff, AR. Regional Meetings will provide our partners in the southeast and central regions a forum to network with other cancer control professionals, share ideas and build new skills.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

Arkansas Cancer Coalition Quarterly Meeting

Date of Event:

February 14, 2012 | 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Location of Event:

American Cancer Society Building

901 N. University Avenue

Little Rock, AR  72207

Contact Information:

Visit www.arcancercoalition.org or contact Trena Mitchell at 501-603-5209

Description of Event:

Coalition members are invited to meet and discuss the objectives of the state’s comprehensive cancer plan, network with other cancer professionals, and build new skills.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

TPCP Advisory Board Meeting

Date of Event:

February 15, 2012 | 1:30 pm. – 3:30 p.m.

Location of Event:

American Cancer Society

901 N. University Avenue

Little Rock, AR 72205

Contact Information:

TPCP 501-661-2953

Description of Event:

The meeting is open to the general public and no RSVPs are required. TPCP staff provides updates on the past quarter’s activities and upcoming events.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

Arkansas PRIDE Conference

Date of Event:

February 20-21, 2012

(Feb. 20: Registration from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Events All Day Ending at 11 p.m.)

(February 21: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.)

Location of Event:

Hot Springs Convention Center

Hot Springs, AR

Contact Information:

PRIDE Youth Programs, 870-864-5121, deb@prideyouthprograms.org

Description of Event:

The target age for the Arkansas PRIDE Conference is students in grades 8-12.  The focus of the conference is making healthy life choices including no use of tobacco.   Students will take part in three general sessions and three workshops.  As part of the conference agenda participants will see PRIDE teams from around the state showcase performances using drama and music to promote healthy lifestyle choices and no use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.   There will be a dance room with a DJ and a movie room or game room on Monday evening, February 20, for students to experience healthy alternatives to using tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

Why Churches Should Get Involved in Tobacco Prevention and Education Efforts: New Hope Baptist Church Campus Goes Smoke-free

Date of Event:

February 11, 2012 | 10 a.m.

Location of Event:

New Hope Baptist Church

1851 Howard Street

Little Rock, AR 72202

Contact Information: 

Katherine Donald at 501-687-0345 or kdonald@arfreshair.com

Description of Event:

The New Hope Baptist Church will hold a press conference to announce and promote its recently adopted 100% smoke-free church campus policy, followed by a community reception to continue to voice support for smoke-free environments and express its philosophy of a holistic view of health.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

Arkansas Cancer Summit XIII – Arkansas Cancer Coalition

Date of Event:

Awards Reception – March 12, 2012 | 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Conference – March 13, 2012 | 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location of Event:

Wyndham Riverfront

2 Riverfront Place

North Little Rock, AR 72114

Contact Information:

Visit http://www.arcancercoalition.org/conferences or call Trena Mitchell at 501-603-5209.

Description of Event:

The Arkansas Cancer Summit is an annual event hosted by the Arkansas Cancer Coalition (ACC) to showcase progress Coalition partners have made toward meeting the goals and objectives of the state’s only comprehensive cancer plan. The forum provides an opportunity for Coalition members and friends to network, share information and build new skills. A reception will be held on March 12, 2012 for a partner awards reception, and the conference will take place on March 13, 2012. This year’s theme is “The Impact of Health Policy and Cancer Control” featuring speakers from Valerie Brown from the Obama administration and state Surgeon General Dr. Joe Thompson.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

Tobacco Retailer Training

Date of Event:

March 15, 2012 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Location of Event:

Benton County, Location TBD

Contact Information:

Drug Free Rogers-Lowell – Natalie Burchit at 479-936-2611 or Natalie@rogerslowell.com

Description of Event:

The Tobacco Retailer Training is open to all employees of retail stores that sell tobacco products in Benton, Washington and Madison Counties.  The training is free and will teach retail clerks to identify fake I.D.’s and monitor potentially illegal sales.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

Yes On The Hill

Date of Event:

March 19-March 21, 2012

Event Times and Agenda will be posted at http://www.yesteam.org/yesonthehill.html

Location of Event:

AEA Building

1500 West 4th Street

Little Rock, AR 72201

Contact Information: 

Register at: http://www.yesteam.org/yesonthehill.html or contact Genine L. Perez at 501-375-1338 gperez@fsainc.org

Description of Event: 

The summit is designed to engage youth leaders in the legislative process through education and advocacy.Youth will learn about the legislative process. Receive education and training from health professionals and community leaders and advocates in tobacco prevention and control, and have the opportunity to speak to legislators, after making recommendations for smoke free laws and other tobacco laws as they see a need for the citizens of Arkansas.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Title of Event:

Arkansas Tobacco Free Kids Day

Date of Event:

March 21, 2012 | 1:00 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Location of Event: 

Arkansas State Capital

Contact Information:

Register at: http://www.yesteam.org/yesspecialevents/artobaccofreekidsday.html or contact Genine L. Perez at 501-375-1338 or gperez@fsainc.org

Description of Event:

In conjunction with KICK BUTTS day, the Arkansas Youth leadership will host its 5th Arkansas Tobacco Free Kids Day. On March 21, 2012, thousands of youth in every state and around the world will STAND OUT … SPEAK UP … and SEIZE CONTROL AGAINST BIG TOBACCO.  Arkansas Tobacco Free Kids Day (Kick Butts Day) is back with new opportunities to take action.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Great American Smokeout Gives Arkansans

One More Reason to Quit

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (DATE) – Stamp Out Smoking encourages Arkansas tobacco users to participate in the Great American Smokeout on November 17.  The Great American Smokeout is a national cessation day held every year by the American Cancer Society, and 2011 marks the 36^th year it has been recognized.  The day is selected to raise awareness on the dangers of tobacco and to help tobacco users quit, for at least one day, with the hope that they will quit for good.

“Arkansas has so many great resources to help tobacco users quit,” said [NAME], [TITLE] of [ORGANIZATION  NAME].  “The Great American Smokeout, coupled with the dangerous health effects and growing costs of tobacco, is just one more reason for Arkansans to take advantage of those resources like the Arkansas Tobacco Quitline.”

The Arkansas Tobacco Quitline, which can be reached by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW, provides free motivational counseling with a trained Quit CoachÒ and free nicotine-replacement therapy medications such as gum and patches.  The Quitline is available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., and services are available in English, Spanish, Marshallese and additional languages if needed.  Counseling is tailored to the specific needs of the tobacco user.  Women who are pregnant are eligible for a specialized cessation program with additional benefits.

Smoking causes coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, and doubles a person’s risk for stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  It causes cancers of the bladder, mouth, esophagus, kidney and lung, and has negative effects on reproduction and early childhood. Although nicotine is extremely addictive, quitting is possible with the proper support.

For information on additional cessation resources available in Arkansas, visit stampoutsmoking.com.  To begin tobacco cessation counseling with the Arkansas Tobacco Quitline, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW and take the first step towards freedom from tobacco.

# # #

Download the customizable news release here.

October – December 2011

Title of Event:

TPCP Workshop: Promoting and Sustaining Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Programs

Date of Event:

October 24, 2011 | 8:30 to 3:30 p.m. (Registration from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m.)

Location of Event:

Arkansas Department of Health Auditorium

4815 W. Markham Street

Little Rock, AR 72205

Contact Person:

Register at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QHJTTPY or contact Beccy Secrest for video conference locations at Rebecca.Secrest@arkansas.gov

Description of Event:

TPCP invites partners and coalition members to attend the last in our series of regional workshops.  Vincent DeMarco “the grassroots guru” will provide strategies on how to build organizational power in your coalition and community in order to sustain your program; how to use paid and earned media in your campaign for public education and coalition building; and, how to organize advocacy efforts to sustain or create change.  A light breakfast and lunch will be provided at the ADH Auditorium location.

Brenda Howard, Section Chief of Cessation

TPCP is pleased to introduce its new Cessation Section Chief, Brenda Howard, MS, CADC, CCS. Brenda joins us from the UAMS- Department of Psychiatry Severe Barriers Project where she worked as a Project Specialist. For the past seven years she has worked with TEA recipients identified with barriers to employment in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence.  She has a Master’s of Science in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.  She is also a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, and Certified Clinical Supervisor.  She has been working in the mental health and treatment field since 1994.

Santi Amoakohene, Health Program Specialist for Smokeless Tobacco

Santi first began work with TPCP in November of 2010 and in August transitioned to the programmatic side of the program as Health Program Specialist for Smokeless Tobacco. She holds a Masters of Public Affairs degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelors degree in Sociology.  She has extensive international and domestic volunteer experience, particularly with non-profits focused on the advancement of developing countries. She is excited about working with TPCP and gaining new knowledge in the area of Public Health.

In particular, the specialists will help providers routinely identify patients who are tobacco users and connect them to the available resources in the state. The program will aim to decrease prevalence statewide, with a special focus on reducing the many disparities between populations in Arkansas, including:

• Less educated populations who have a much higher percentage of smokers than those populations with more formal education. As the level of education decreases, tobacco use prevalence has been shown to increase.
• Lower income populations who have a much higher percentage of smokers than those in higher income groups. As the annual income decreases, tobacco use prevalence increases

Benefits of the outreach program to Arkansas:

• Educated and trained providers in coordinated tobacco treatment
• Decreased tobacco use among disparate populations
• Decline in economic impact of tobacco related illness in Arkansas
• Decline in economic impact from loss in productivity
• Improved health for Arkansans

Click here to learn more, or for more information contact Dathan Johnson at Dathan.Johnson@arkansas.gov

A press conference announcing the partnership was held on October 6 at the Arkansas State Capitol.

For more information, contact Antionne Alcorn at Antionne.Alcorn@arkansas.gov

On the day of the conference, 16 high school students distributed counter-marketing materials to patrons of the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market. They wore t-shirts with targets spray-painted on the back and a number on the front ranging from 1-120 to represent the statistic that they refuse to become. 120 pairs of shoes representing the 120 people in Fayetteville who die each year from tobacco related illness were laid on the steps, delivering an impactful visual message.

Jonathan Carlsmith, NWATFC Project Coordinator, worked tirelessly with students to create strategically-worded facts about tobacco which students read into megaphones at the press conference. “We were very pleased with the turnout and estimate that 50 members of the community attended and that the megaphones were heard in the immediate area,” Mr. Carlsmith reflected.

Highlights from the day:

• A student speaker shared a deeply personal story about the loss of his father to lung cancer as a result of tobacco use.

• Greg Leding, District 92 House representative, presented poster-sized checks directly to the youth, sending an effective message to the community. The checks, which totaled $108,875, were awards from ADH TPCP and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office for NWATFC’s continued tobacco control efforts.

• Another student speaker concluded the conference with a powerful Call to Action, wherein she reminded the audience that tobacco use is not just a personal decision and that Big Tobacco preys on youth, even producing products that “taste and look like candy.” She charged adults to “be there to protect [youth],” and be their voice in the community since they are not old enough to vote. “It is your responsibility to support us when we say, “WE WILL NOT FILL THE SHOES OF DEAD SMOKERS! Please take action! Thank you.”

The number of adult Americans who smoke is on the decline again after several years of little change, and those who smoke are puffing fewer cigarettes a day, new government stats show.

But smoking rates are still far higher than federal goals, U.S. health officials said.

An estimated 19.3% of U.S. adults (or 45.3 million people) smoke, according to 2010 data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s roughly 3 million fewer smokers than there were five years ago, and compares to an adult smoking rate of 20.9% in 2005 and 20.6% in 2009.

Meanwhile, there are fewer heavy smokers, while young, newer smokers puff less. The percentage of those who smoke more than a pack-and-a-half per day dropped to 8.3% in 2010 from 12.7% in 2005, while those who smoke nine or fewer cigarettes daily rose to 21.8% from 16.4% during the same time period. Daily smokers on average puffed 15.1 cigarettes per day in 2010, a slight drop from 16.7 in 2005.

Click here to read the full story.

The companies, led by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Lorillard Tobacco Co., said the warnings no longer simply convey facts to allow people to make a decision whether to smoke. They instead force them to put government anti-smoking advocacy more prominently on their packs than their own brands, the companies say. They want a judge to stop the labels.

“Never before in the United States have producers of a lawful product been required to use their own packaging and advertising to convey an emotionally-charged government message urging adult consumers to shun their products,” the companies wrote in the lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, D.C.

The FDA refused to comment, saying the agency does not discuss pending litigation. But when she announced the new labels in June, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius called them frank and honest warnings about the dangers of smoking.

The FDA approved nine new warnings to rotate on cigarette packs. They will be printed on the entire top half, front and back, of the packaging. The new warnings also must constitute 20 percent of any cigarette advertising. They also all include a number for stop-smoking hotline.

One warning label is a picture of a corpse with its chest sewed up and the words: “Smoking can kill you.” Another label has a picture of a healthy pair of lungs beside a yellow and black pair with a warning that smoking causes fatal lung disease.

Click here to read the full story.