Wayne County to Receive $23,011 in Funding to Reduce Tobacco Use
WAYNESBORO – Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH will join other state and local officials on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Wayne County Health Department in Waynesboro to present $23,011 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. Wayne County will focus its first-year project on preventing child and adolescent 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: John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Health
Leslie Humphreys, MPA, Assistant Commissioner for Community Health Services, TDH
Rick Long, Director of Regional and Local Health, Tennessee Department of Health
Ami Mitchell, South Central Regional Director, Tennessee Department of Health
Devin Toms, Wayne County Health Director, Tennessee Department of Health
Jason Rich, Wayne County Mayor
What: Presentation of Tennessee Tobacco Settlement Program funding
When: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 10:30 a.m.
Where: Wayne County Health Department
102 J.V. Mangubat Drive
Waynesboro, Tennessee 38485
MEDIA CONTACTS: Bill Christian, 615-741-2308 or Bill.Christian@tn.gov or Janet McAlister, 931-490-8335 or Janet.McAlister@tn.gov