About Us
Mission Statement
The mission of APTNA is to work towards reduction in tobacco-caused morbidity and mortality by providing services that promote effective treatment and prevention of nicotine addiction. Our purpose is to facilitate the application of research-based interventions that reach populations at high-risk for tobacco-caused disease.
Focus Population
Services are targeted to healthcare providers, clinicians, administrators, organizations and educational institutions in order to promote policies that lead to an increase in implementing effective smoking cessation strategies among high-risk tobacco users. The general public is educated to the need for advocating for policies that ensure availability of effective strategies and tools.
Background
Staff brings to this organization an impressive record of activities targeting healthcare providers since 1995. Intensive work with addiction treatment providers in the development and implementation of tobacco-free policies and the integration of nicotine into current substance abuse treatment programs has resulted in significant progress in Virginia. Statewide conferences are now smoke-free, several Community Services Boards have infused nicotine addiction treatment into their programs, adolescent programs are putting new policies into action to ensure smoke-free campuses and promote smoking cessation and perinatal treatment programs are recognizing the need for training to help pregnant patients stop smoking.
Training and resources provided to healthcare providers have increased awareness of tobacco use as an addiction and the significance of a patient's level of readiness for change, resulting in the use of more effective intervention strategies. Consultation and resources provided to healthcare systems have facilitated development and implementation of staff training programs and tailored cessation counseling protocols. APTNA works in collaboration with other organizations in order to implement activities throughout the state.
Structure
APTNA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a three-member Board of Directors, one full-time staff position and one part-time position. The Program Manager is Janis M. Dauer, a certified addiction counselor and prevention professional with a Master's Degree in Education (Guidance & Counseling). Ms. Dauer has over ten years experience in addiction treatment and program management and another ten years experience working with tobacco use control programs. She is also experienced in grant writing, fiscal management and staff supervision.
Janis has lectured nationally on nicotine addiction treatment/smoking cessation and is recognized in Virginia as an authority on this subject. Her expertise provides a bridge between drug addiction paradigms and smoking cessation models, giving healthcare providers effective tools for addressing high-risk tobacco users. Janis is a member of the Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence (ATTUD) and participated in this organization's development of standards of practice for tobacco treatment specialists.
Services
APTNA provides training and education for clinicians tailored to their treatment modality or medical practice and patient population demographics. Focus is on assisting healthcare facilities in the development of appropriate clinician training mechanisms and patient counseling services. Training and consultation are provided to administrative and supervisory staff of healthcare systems on policies, office protocols, and systems-based strategies aimed at reducing patient and staff tobacco use. APTNA is currently funded through a grant from the Virginia Department of Health Tobacco Use Control Project and activities include training, promoting cessation, and maintaining resource websites.
Consultation and technical assistance are also provided as an adjunct or for outreach purposes. Program management includes data collection and analysis, follow-up contacts, promotion and media campaigns, fiscal management and supervision of volunteers and staff.
Materials/Facilities
APTNA uses free or low-cost materials provided by the government or nonprofit health organizations, produces cost-effective training materials when needed to meet specific needs, has access to a large resource library and takes full advantage of online resource materials. Services are provided either electronically, by phone, by mail or onsite at the healthcare provider or organization's facility. The APTNA office is located in Norfolk but services and programs are provided statewide.
Collaboration
Staff has developed an extensive network of contacts and work relationships over the past eight years, including addiction treatment and prevention providers, institutes of higher education, professional associations, health organizations, tobacco-use control coalitions, managed care organizations, pharmaceutical companies and government agencies. APTNA staff has worked closely with some of the top experts in the field of nicotine addiction in the U.S., including staff at the UMDNJ Tobacco Dependence project in New Jersey and Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center in Minnesota and members of the North American Quitline Consortium.
Joint projects have been undertaken with several of the Virginia Department of Health Tobacco Use Control Project coalitions and partner organizations, various Area Health Education Centers and Perinatal Councils, and numerous acute care hospitals through a partnership with the Virginia Health Quality Center. Joint projects have also been completed with the addiction counselor certification board, counselor association, alcohol & drug program association, several universities, a major managed care organization and the American Lung Association.