Student Award for Mental Health Education

BACCHUS encourages peer educators to apply for the following award honoring excellence in reducing stigma around mental health.


The 2010 Jerry Greenspan
Student "Voice of Mental Health" Award

The Jerry Greenspan Student "Voice of Mental Health" Award was established to honor a student who is reducing stigma around mental illness, raising awareness of mental health problems on campus, or encouraging help-seeking among his or her peers.

The student selected for this honor will receive:
* a $2,000 cash award
* recognition through The Jed Foundation's website and events
* assistance with composing a video of the student's work
* a trip to New York to attend The Jed Foundation's annual gala on June 10, 2010
* video highlighting the student's award-winning work, which will be showcased during The Jed Foundation's gala
* an opportunity to appear on MTVU**

This award is designed to encourage dialogue about mental health on campuses and reduction of stigma around emotional disorders, and to raise visibility of the amazing people who are tackling these issues at schools across the country.

Applications must be completed online at http://jedfoundation.org/programs/student-voice-of-mental-health-award, and will consist of one essay.

The essay should demonstrate how the applicant is:

* Creating and/or leading campus programs or events that decrease stigma or encourage help-seeking
or

* Sharing a personal story about dealing with a mental health issue or helping a friend with an emotional problem
or

* Working to improve campus policies, programs and services

Entries will be judged by a panel that includes a mental health expert, a television/film professional, a campus professional and individuals with a personal connection to mental health or suicide.

Deadline for submissions is March 15, 2010. Only full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate students who are currently enrolled at an accredited 2- or 4-year college or university in the United States are eligible to apply.

Please direct any questions to studentaward@jedfoundation.org.


** The mtvU appearance is dependent on the focus and content of the winner's submission. This appearance is not guaranteed to the scholarship winner.

Cracking Down on Spam

Just a quick note: we are freely deleting comments to blog posts that are clearly spam. We continue to encourage constructive discussion about the issues presented here. However, if you are pushing a product or website, you should reconsider before posting here.

Thank you!

Enforcement for Tobacco Policies

We have worked with many campuses developing and implementing tobacco-free and smoke-free policies. Every campus is unique and their readiness for policy change varies. Many campuses have had a smooth transition to and high compliance with the new policies when they have built in an education/awareness period prior to the policy start date. This period is used to inform faculty, staff, students, and guests of the upcoming change, to highlight the health benefits of the new policy, and to promote cessation services and resources.

Campuses have also found it helpful to include a grace period after the policy begins. During this time, violators receive educational information about the policy including the reasons for the policy, the consequences at the end of the grace period, and cessation resources.

The policy does need to have some teeth in that after a certain grace period, violators need to be issued citations. Ideally this would be handled by those who currently enforce other campus policies. The smoke/tobacco-free policy needs to be treated with the same respect as other policies. If Resident Advisors cite students for resident hall violations (alcohol, noise, etc.), they should also cite students smoking near their dorms. Although the campus/community police may not like it, try to build a partnership where they are willing to enforce the smoke/tobacco-free policy on just a one random day each week. Nobody wants to be the tobacco police 24/7, but random days of enforcement where citations are issued will help curb the problems.

Sample Citation Progression...

• First offense: written warning
• Second offense: written citation, $25 fine
• Third offense: written citation, $50 fine and meeting with Dean of Students (for student violators) or Campus President/Director of HR (faculty/staff violators)
• Fourth offense: written citation, $75 fine – academic probation (students), one week suspension (faculty/staff)
• Fifth offense: expulsion from school (students), termination from employment (faculty/staff)
• While the enforcement/citation measures are needed to ensure the policy is followed, continue to emphasize the purpose of the policy is to respect the health of everyone on campus – not to “catch” smokers in the act. Research shows that SHS kills approx. 50,000 nonsmoking U.S. adults per year, and smokers need to respect everyone’s right to breathe clean air.
• Emphasize to smokers that the policy isn’t anti-smoker, it’s anti-smoke. Recognize that tobacco use is an addiction and adjusting to the policy could be difficult, but similar to smoke-free restaurants and airplanes – they need to make the adjustment to respect the health of others.
• Make cessation resources widely available for those who want to quit.
  

Certification for Tobacco-Free Campus Policy

NEW! Does your campus have a strong tobacco-free or smoke-free policy? Get certified by BACCHUS!

The BACCHUS Network™ is currently accepting applications for a new Tobacco-Free Campus Policy Certification. This certification recognizes college and university campuses that have implemented strong tobacco policies, demonstrating excellence in their commitment to the health and safety of students, staff, faculty, and visitors.

The Tobacco-Free Campus Policy Certification honors campuses at three different levels. A full description of each level is included in the announcement brochure, though a summary is listed here:

Silver Award: No smoking is allowed on campus grounds or in campus-owned vehicles. Tobacco is not sold, marketed, or distributed on campus grounds. Sponsorships and promotions from tobacco companies are not allowed.

Gold Award: No tobacco (smoking or smokeless) is allowed on campus grounds or in campus-owned vehicles. Tobacco is not sold, marketed, or distributed on campus grounds. Sponsorships and promotions from tobacco companies are not allowed.

Diamond Award: All conditions of the 'Gold Level' are fulfilled. The campus divests all holdings in tobacco companies and does not accept any direct funding from tobacco companies for any purpose. Sponsorships and promotions from tobacco companies are not allowed.

This award will provide campuses with recognition that can be helpful in recruiting students, community learners, as well as grant opportunities from prominent health-related organizations and agencies. BACCHUS will provide campuses with an award logo that can be displayed on websites and in printed materials. Applications are due by January 31, 2010.

For more information and an application, please visit: www.tobaccofreeU.org and click on the links under Certification for Tobacco-Free Campus Policy.

Tobacco Position Deadline Extended

We have extended the application deadline for the tobacco position in Denver, CO. (See the post under the "e-cigarette" post, located below.) Applications will be accepted through August 14, 2009.

Please click here to view the position announcement.

BACCHUS Tobacco Position in Montana

BACCHUS has an open position as the Montana Project Director. This position will be based in Missoula, Montana.

The Montana Project Director will work with the Montana Collegiate Tobacco Prevention Initiative staff to accomplish grant activities in the following four major areas:

Oversight and Reporting

• Financial claim reporting and management of funds
• Submit quarterly program reports
• Submit annual report
• Create and submit annual application for funding
  

Providing Training and Technical Assistance to Campuses

• Provide technical assistance and training on grant initiatives to the participating campuses
• Recruit new campuses to participate in grant
• Coordinate materials orders and fulfillment to campuses
• Coordinate and co-present trainings for participating campuses
• Host 2-3 meetings of participants per year
• Provide site visits as needed
• Visit the BACCHUS national office in Denver for training as needed
  

Creating Partnerships

• Serve on joint agency projects and committees with Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MTUPP) and other State Contractors’ personnel as needed
• Maintain consistent contact with the MTUPP project officer and staff
• Represent BACCHUS at local and state meetings concerning student health and safety issues
  

Other Provisions: This ten month full-time position is grant funded and may change over time based upon funding opportunities or restraints. Employment is subject to available funding as well as the normal supervisory items per the letter of agreement. The BACCHUS Network™ is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religious preference, sexual orientation or physical ability.

For a complete job description, click here and look on the right hand side under, "Position Openings."

FDA Report on E-cigarettes

The Food and Drug Administration released information on the potential health risks associated with electronic cigarettes, also known as "e-cigarettes." This is the first testing conducted on the new products and the liquid used to create the vapor.

A press release and additional materials can be found on FDA's Website at http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm172906.htm


-posted by Tad Spencer