Health Issues - Tobacco Use
Current Projects
IHS Tobacco Control Task Force
The Indian Health Service Tobacco Control Taskforce (TCTF) was established in 2004. Our mission, in partnership with American Indian and Alaska Native people, is to raise their physical, mental, social, and spiritual health to the highest level possible through prevention and reduction of tobacco-related disease.
The Task Force consists of volunteer representatives from across the Indian Health System as well as partners from tobacco control organizations. Members are appointed by the IHS Chief Medical Officer to serve two-year terms.
The IHS Tobacco Control Task Force recognizes the unique and spiritual relationship that American Indian people have with traditional tobacco, which must be recognized and addressed when shaping meaningful, culturally appropriate tobacco-related policies and protocols in American Indian communities. At the same time, the TCTF also recognizes that the habitual use of commercial tobacco has become the greatest preventable cause of death and illness among AI/AN people.
In 2004-2005 the Task Force developed a Strategic Plan for Tobacco Control for the Indian Health Service. A major goal under the Plan was to establish and maintain an IHS-wide infrastructure to implement and support tobacco cessation programs in all IHS, Tribal, and Urban healthcare facilities. Through a grant from the American Legacy Foundation
and a contract with the University of Arizona, we are developing a workable model for clinical nicotine dependence treatment that can be easily adopted by IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian clinics. The model will include integration of the efforts of medical, dental, pharmacy, behavioral health, nursing, and health education professionals within the system. We will provide guidance for treating patients with significant co-morbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, other substance abuse, and complex pharmaceutical regimens.
Through our contractor, the HealthCare Partnership
at the University of Arizona, we offer Tobacco Intervention Skills training and certification at Basic and Instructor levels. Task Force members are also available to provide advice, training and technical assistance to sites that wish to start a new Tobacco Cessation program or enhance an existing one.
If you are interested in joining the IHS Tobacco Control Task Force, or in learning more about our work, please contact Don Reece, Deputy Director or any Task Force Member.
Tobacco Control Strategic Plan
Habitual tobacco use of commercial tobacco is having a devastating effect on the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people. There is no clinical intervention available today that can reduce illness, prevent death, and increase quality of life more than effective tobacco treatment interventions!
A “Tobacco Control Strategic Plan” was developed during a 12-month period and two on-site meetings with 15-Tobacco Control Task Force (TCTF) representatives from the Indian Health Service (IHS).
This plan is a reflection of a multidisciplinary leadership vision for tobacco prevention and control within the Indian Health Service/Tribal and Urban (I/T/U) healthcare programs.
A main focus of this plan is to join networks and present to IHS leadership a role it can play in contributing to eliminating tobacco morbidity and mortality among AI/AN communities. This plan provides the opportunity for the I/T/U facilities as well as other federal partners and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) to collaborate in tobacco control planning and implementation with a diverse and multidisciplinary group.
This plan points to an opportunity for how community readiness can be fostered in a clinical setting. It is included or incorporated not only into cessation and clean indoor air policy, but into tobacco free households. The core strength of this plan can be found in its connection to the public health and clinical setting (with all of its expertise) and to the people among the AI/AN families in most need of tobacco control information.
Concomitantly, the Strategic Tobacco Control Plan will serve as a major systematized clinical device for the delivery of cessation services in the Indian Health Service, Tribal, and Urban (I/T/U) health care setting.
View the Tobacco Control Strategic Plan [PDF-261KB]
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TOBACCO CONTROL TASK FORCE REPRESENTATIVES
Headquarters
Don Reece, IHS DEDP Deputy Director
Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention
5300 Homestead Road, NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Phone: 505-248-4132
Email: donald.reece@ihs.gov
Aberdeen Area
Carol Gourneau, MSW, LCSW
Hospital Social Worker
Belcourt Indian Medical Center
PO Box 160, 1 Main Street,
Belcourt, North Dakota 58316
Phone: 701-477-6111
Email: carol.gourneau@ihs.gov
Kari Johnson RN, PHN
TB Nurse Coordinator
Public Health Nursing
Pine Ridge IHS Hospital
PO Box 1201
Pine Ridge, SD 57770
Phone: 605-867-3141
Email: kari.johnson@ihs.gov
Dayle Knutson, RN, BSN
Public Health Nurse
Wanblee Health Center
Wanblee, SD 57577
Phone: 605-462-6155
Email: dknutson@abr.ihs.gov
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Alaska Area
Stacy Kelley, CTTS
Cancer Partnership Program Coordinator
A Program of the National Cancer Institute serving AK, ID, NV, OR and WA
Cancer Information Service - Northwest Region
Office of Alaska Native Health Research
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
4000 Ambassador Drive, C-DCHS
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Phone: 907-729-2927
Email: sfkelley@anmc.org
Caroline Renner, MPH, CTTS
Nicotine Program Manager
4141 Ambassador Drive, Suite 118
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Phone: 907-729-2925
Email: ccrenner@anmc.org
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Bemidji Area
Marlene Poukka
Public Health Community Health Educator
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
17230 Noopiming Drive
Onamia, MN 56359
Phone: 320-532-7812
Email: marlenep@millelacsojibwe.nsn.us
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Billings Area
Katrese Hammond
Health Educator
Fort Belknap Service Unit
Harlem, MT 59526
Phone: 406-353-3156
Email: Katrese.hammond@ihs.gov
LeeAnn Johnson, MPH
Health Promotion Specialist
Billings Area IHS
2900 4th Avenue North
P.O. Box 36600
Billings, MT 59107
Phone: 406-247-7118
Email: Leann.Johnson@ihs.gov
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California Area
Kurt Schweigman, MPH
California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc.
Tobacco Programs Manager
4400 Auburn Blvd., 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95841
Phone: 916-929-9761
Email: kurt.schweigman@crihb.net
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Nashville Area
Rosalind Chorak, RPh
Chief Pharmacist
Catawba Service Unit
2893 Sturgis Road
Rock Hill, South Carolina 29730
Phone: 803-366-9090
Email: Rosalind.chorak@ihs.gov
Christopher C. Lamer, PharmD, NCPS, BCPS, CDE
LCDR, U.S. Public Health Service
Clinical Applications Coordinator/ Residency
Program Director
Cherokee Indian Hospital
Hospital Road, Caller Box C-268
Cherokee, NC 28719
Phone: 828-497-9163 x 6363
Email: chris.lamer@ihs.gov or vzn05v34@gte.net
Melanie Loveric, RN BSN
Community Outreach Coordinator
Oneida Nation Health Center
2 Territory Rd.
Oneida, NY 13421
Phone: 315-829-8714
Email: mloveric@oneida-nation.org
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Navajo Area
Alfreda Beartrack, MA
HP/DP Coordinator
Northern Navajo Medical Center
PO Box 160, Hwy 491 N
Shiprock, NM 87420
Phone: 505-368-6493
Email: Alfreda.beartrack@ihs.gov
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Oklahoma Area
Steve C. Keller, B.S.C.E., PA-C
Physicians Assistant
Claremore Indian Hospital
101 South Moore
Claremore, Oklahoma 74017
Phone: 918-342-6200
Fax: 918-342-6585
Email: steve.keller@ihs.gov
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Phoenix Area
Megan Wohr, RPh
LCDR, USPHS
Tobacco Control Specialist
IHS Division of Epidemiology
Phoenix Indian Medical Center
Centers of Excellence
4212 N. 16th Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85016
Phone: 480-216-4342
Email: megan.wohr@ihs.gov
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Portland Area
CDR Jim Gemelas, RPh., NCPS
Clinical Applications Coordinator
Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center
PO BOX 1209
Warm Springs, OR 97761
Phone: 541-553-2174 ext 4216
Email: James.Gemelas@ihs.gov
Joe W. Law
Health Promotion Coordinator
Portland Area Office
1220 SW Third Ave., Suite 476
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503-326-6466
Email: joe.law@ihs.gov
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