Community Programs

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

Contact

KimLitwiller at 309-929-0395 or Shanita Wallace at 309-929-0308 for more information.

Purpose

Mental Health First Aid is an 8 hour course that gives participants the skills to help someone who is developing or experiencing a mental health crisis. Trainees are taught how to apply a 5 step action plan in a variety of situations, such as a panic attack and engaging with someone that may be suicidal. Trainings are offered for both adult and youth mental health and can be brought on-site to individual agencies.

Tobacco Prevention

Contact

Kerri Viets, ITFC Coordinator at 309-929-0302 for more information.

Focus

Smoking tobacco is the single most important preventable cause of illness and death in the United States. More than 20,000 people in Illinois die each year as a result of cigarette smoking. Nationally, smoking is responsible for one of every five deaths. In fact, cigarette smoking kills more Americans than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs, and fires combined.

A map of the tobacco-free policy locations in the tri-county area can be found here.

ILLINOIS TOBACCO-FREE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM (ITFC)

Illinois Tobacco-Free Communities is an Illinois Department of Public Health grant-funded initiative to establish tobacco prevention and control programs to prevent tobacco use among youth, eliminate exposure to second-hand smoke, and eliminate tobacco-related health disparities. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, there is no safe level of secondhand spoke exposure, including multi-unit housing where secondhand smoke can be a major concern for residents in neighboring apartments, outdoor public space, school campus property, indoor public places, and places of employment. Watch a video on smoke-free outdoors.

Smoke-free multi-unit house video, please click here.

Tazewell County Health Department works in a regional collaboration with Peoria County Health Department, Woodford County Health Department, and community partners on policy initiatives and activities in the following areas:

• Increase the number of smoke-free multi-unit housing polices, like apartment buildings and public housing.
• Increase the number of tobacco-free outdoor spaces like parks, outdoor events, and farmer’s markets.
• Introduce and implement tobacco-free campus polices for businesses, as well as school and college campuses.
• Conduct specified enforcement activities for compliance of the Illinois Smoke-free Act on behalf of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Illinois Tobacco-Free Communities brochure (PDF)

IDENTIFIED COMMUNITY HEALTH PRIORITY- LUNG CANCER AND TOBACCO

The Partnership for a Healthy Community, also known as Healthy HOI, is a community-driven partnership to improve health and wellness in the Heart of Illinois. One of four identified priority areas is Lung Cancer and addresses tobacco-related issues. To find out more about the Partnership activities or participate on the Lung Cancer workgroup to address tobacco-free policies in the Tri-county region, visit www.HealthyHOI.org or email Illinois Tobacco-free Communities in the Peoria region at PeoriaHealth@peoriacounty.org.

ILLINOIS TOBACCO QUITLINE

The Illinois Tobacco Quitline is a free resource for tobacco users who want to quit for good. Certified counselors and staff at the Illinois Tobacco Quitline provide the support needed to break the habit. Qualified individuals have access to nicotine replacement products through the mail. Call toll-free 866-784-8937 or visit the website for assistance and qualifications.

SMOKE-FREE ILLINOIS ACT INFORMATION

The Smoke-Free Illinois Act, effective January 1, 2008, protects the public in Illinois from the harmful effects of exposure to tobacco and second-hand smoke by prohibiting smoking in indoor public places and places of employment, including offices, theaters, museums, libraries, schools, commercial establishments, enclosed shopping centers and retail stores, restaurants, bars, private clubs and gaming facilities. Smoking is also prohibited in public conveyances like taxis and buses. Other Smoke-Free Act guidelines include:

• Business owners shall not permit smoking within 15 feet of any entrance, exit, or window that open and ventilation intakes.
• "No smoking" signs are required to be posted at every entrance to a public place or place of employment. These signs are available to download on the Illinois Department of Public Health Website.
• Full text of Smoke-Free Illinois, Public Act 095-0017 can be found online.
• Individuals can file a complaint at the Illinois Department of Public Health’s toll-free complaint line at 866-973-4646 or online.