Skip to navigation Skip to Content

Search

Menu
Search Marshfield Clinic Health System
Join a world-class health system. Find jobs

Youth e-cigarette prevention funds to help communities curb vaping

​May 29, 2019

MARSHFIELD – Reversing almost a decade of progress in youth tobacco prevention, e-cigarette use, commonly called vaping, is on the rise among Wisconsin's teens.

Marshfield Clinic Health System, through its Center for Community Health Advancement (CCHA), is responding to this trend by providing funding to communities to focus on e-cigarette prevention efforts.

Announcement of this funding was made earlier today at an "E-Cigarettes and Our Youth: Partners in Prevention" forum in Eau Claire, hosted by CCHA. A similar conference is set for tomorrow in Wausau. Attendees included representatives from health care organizations, human service agencies, law enforcement, as well as public health and prevention professionals, school administrators and people who work with youth. Topics were tobacco history and trends, tobacco policy, tobacco's changing campaign, and youth-led prevention initiatives. Presenters represented The American Lung Association, county health departments and law enforcement.

"Our Health System is very concerned about e-cigarettes, vaping and the health impacts they are having on our youth," said Jay Shrader, vice president, CCHA. "These funds are one way we plan to support our communities in addressing e-cigarette use. They represent a critical way we can invest in our communities."

A recent Wisconsin Department of Health Services public health advisory noted that e-cigarette use has skyrocketed from 8% in 2014 to 20% in 2018 among Wisconsin teens, Shrader said, reversing almost a decade of progress in youth tobacco prevention.

The Health System is offering $500 stipends to community organizations and schools to mobilize discussion and efforts on e-cigarette initiatives, up to a total of $20,000. Organizations may use funding for planning or implementing initiatives, including trainings, education and awareness, policy alignment with state and federal initiatives, treatment or enforcement.

Examples of acceptable initiatives include:

  • Creating a report or infographic using local e-cigarette data to communicate impact and dangers of youth e-cigarette use.
  • Hosting a community gathering, like a town hall meeting, candidate/legislative education forum, sobriety pow wow, talking circle, nature walk, documentary or presentation, to educate and unite communities and candidates/current legislators on the topic of e-cigarettes.
  • Implementing an effective drug prevention curriculum that includes e-cigarettes in school, after-school or community settings.
  • Developing and implementing a youth-led action plan to address e-cigarette use in school.
  • Collaborating with partners to establish formal changes in written procedures, bylaws, proclamations, rules or laws with written documentation and/or voting procedures around the issue of e-cigarettes.
  • Providing an effective treatment program for e-cigarette and tobacco use to youth.
  • Facilitating a program that focuses on alternatives to school suspension.

Organizations eligible to apply for grants must be tax-exempt, local government agencies or educational institutions. Proposed initiatives need to be conducted within the Health System service area.

For more information, an application form and map of the Health System's service area, go to this website - https://communityhealth.marshfieldclinic.org/Community-Investments. Applications must be submitted by Friday, June 21, as an attachment via email to healthycommunitiesgrant@marshfieldclinic.org. Additional requests for information or questions can be sent to healthycommunitiesgrant@marshfieldclinic.org.

 

 Media Relations

John Gardner
Marshfield Clinic Health System Director of Communications
715 221-8659
gardner.john
@marshfieldclinic.org

Jeff Starck
Senior Media Relations Specialist - Marshfield, Eau Claire, Park Falls, Neillsville & Minocqua
715 389-4978
starck.jeffrey
@marshfieldclinic.org

Dan Baulch
Senior Communications
Specialist -
Beaver Dam
920 887-4152
baulch.dan
@marshfieldclinic.org

Candy Marg
Community Relations Manager - Neillsville
715 819-8459
marg.candace
@marshfieldclinic.org

Becca Pehlke
Communications Specialist - Ladysmith & Rice Lake
715 609-3284
pehlke.rebecca
@marshfieldclinic.org

Jim Korth
Communications Specialist – Wausau/Weston
715-679-5455
korth.james
@marshfieldclinic.org

Joe Rizzo
Director of Public Relations and Business Development –
Marshfield Medical
Center-Dickinson
906-776-5671
Joe.Rizzo@dchs.org