This quarter, TTTF hosted a kickoff meeting at Harmony Road Recovery and worked with other existing partners to improve their tobacco-free workplace signage and tobacco care provision. We also welcomed several new partners, including ResourceCare Community Health Center, Hill Country Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities Centers, and Wiseman Lighthouse. Finally, the TTTF team recently attended the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco 2024 Annual Meeting in Edinburgh, UK to share our findings with the international nicotine and tobacco research community. 

TTTF is excited to welcome multiple new partners, including Aliviane and Franklin County Rural Health Clinic. We'd also like to highlight our program champions and several of our existing partners that have taken important measures to train their providers on treating tobacco dependence, implement a tobacco-free workplace policy, and post health promotion material at their centers. Lastly, we would like to offer a warm welcome to the new undergraduate students who have recently joined the TTTF team!

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Congratulations to TTTF Research Assistant Professor, Dr. Isabel Martinez Leal, on her latest publication! Dr. Martinez Leal recently had her first authored article titled, “Collaborative Learning: A Qualitative Study Exploring Factors Contributing to a Successful Tobacco Cessation Train-the-Trainer Program as a Community of Practice” published in IJERPH. This article highlights contributors to the implementation of TTTF’s Train-the-Trainer program.​

TTTF has welcomed several new agencies to our ongoing projects and is continuing to recruit additional substance use treatment centers and health centers located in/serving individuals from rural Texas. Along with numerous accolades, the TTTF team would also like to extend a warm welcome to our newest member - Ms. Kimberly Skeene, RN, BSN!

Dr. Lorraine Reitzel (TTTF Director) was recently awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to expand the TTTF program through a project titled, “Taking Texas Tobacco Free among Substance Users within Community-based Healthcare Settings in Rural and Medically Underserved Areas Across Texas.”

This quarter got off to a great start with Dr. Lorraine Reitzel (TTTF Director) presenting on the mechanisms and impact of TTTF to University of Houston (UH) employees and staff as part of a webinar series. In addition, we had new Train-the-Trainer program champions, as well as new website resources!

We're excited to inform you that TTTF now has a quarterly newsletter. Read about what TTTF is doing during the COVID19 pandemic, exciting news regarding our grant expansion, new partnerships, and more!

TTTF is honored to have been highlighted in the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center’s 20th Anniversary Celebration as a valued champion. In addition to this incredible feature, our team had the opportunity to attend the Innovations in Cancer Prevention and Research Conference VI and share our findings with other scientists across Texas. TTTF is also eager to welcome our new partner, Harmony Road Recovery, and share exciting updates from our current partners. Lastly, we would like to share our new educational materials on coping skills – available to clinicians and patients on our website now!

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas awarded a grant to Drs. Lorraine Reitzel (TTTF Professor) and Maggie Britton (TTTF Assistant Professor) to expand the TTTF program through a project titled, “Taking Texas Tobacco Free: Dissemination to and Implementation within Lung Cancer Screening Programs.” We'd also like to highlight that TTTF recently supported Hungry Hill Foundation in enhancing enforcement of their tobacco-free policy. Lastly, congratulations to two TTTF staff on their acceptance to medical school!

TTTF was recently honored in the CPRIT 2021 Annual Report for its innovative, effective work in cancer prevention! In addition to this huge honor, we are welcoming two new substance use treatment centers - Endeavors® and Plainview Serenity Center, Inc. - and an organization serving women-led families coming out of homelessness - Saint Louise House.

Dr. Lorraine Reitzel (TTTF Director) and the TTTF team were recently awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas titled, “Taking Texas Tobacco Free: Dissemination to and Implementation within Agencies Serving Texans Experiencing Homelessness.”

We're excited to announce new “Train-the-Trainer” Resources for Dissemination. This includes a step-by-step implementation guide that details how to implement the training program and includes the curriculum, survey instruments, and additional resources used throughout TTTF’s rollout of the program. 

This quarter we partnered with new centers and provided Tobacco Education Training to their clinical staff as part of our "Train the Trainer" program. We're also spotlighting various trainings our TTTF staff delivered, as well as their latest publications! Read all about their research, trainings, and more of TTTF’s progress.