Giles County to Receive $30,301 in Funding to Reduce Tobacco Use
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Department of Health Chief Medical Officer David Reagan, MD, PhD, will join other state and local officials on Wednesday, April 23, at the Giles County Health Department in Pulaski to present $30,301 in funding as part of the Tennessee Tobacco Settlement Program.
Each county in Tennessee will receive funding during this three-year program to reduce the burden of tobacco use in the state. All counties are challenged to set goals and select one or more projects that address three topics: eliminating smoking during pregnancy; reducing infants’ and children’s exposure to second-hand smoke; and preventing child and adolescent tobacco use. Giles County will focus its first year project on preventing youth from initiating tobacco use.
Funding from the Tobacco Settlement was provided to the Tennessee Department of Health for fiscal years 2014-16 to address the state’s high rate of tobacco use and prevent expensive related medical costs. The plan to distribute $15 million over three years has been generated with input from all 95 counties. This plan includes a variety of projects to target behaviors designed to protect the health of Tennessee’s most vulnerable populations: unborn babies, pregnant women and children.
Who: David Reagan, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, Tennessee Department of Health
Jeffrey Kriseman, PhD, MSc, Chief Public Health Informatics Officer, TDH
Janet McAlister, South Central Regional Assistant Health Director and Giles County Health Director, TDH
Janet Vanzant, Giles County Executive
Sen. Joey Hensley, MD, District 28
Rep. Barry Jay Doss, District 70
What: Presentation of Tennessee Tobacco Settlement Program funding
When: Wednesday, April 23, 2 p.m.
Where: Giles County Health Department
209 South Cedar Lane
Pulaski, Tennessee 38478
MEDIA CONTACTS: Shelley Walker, 615-253-5184 or Shelley.Walker@tn.gov or Janet McAlister, 931-490-8885 or Janet.McAlister@tn.gov.