ST. HELENS, Ore. — Just in time to celebrate National Kick Butts Day, March 16, Columbia Pacific CCO is offering a free new service that is open to everyone in the CCO’s region to help them stop using tobacco products.
“Smoking and tobacco use in the three counties served by our CCO – Clatsop, Tillamook and Columbia – is among the highest in the state,” says Safina Koreishi, MD, medical director for Columbia Pacific CCO. “Curbing the use of tobacco products, like cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, will go a long way to improve the overall health of our population.”
The new service sends text messages that are helpful, thoughtful and engaging directly to participants’ cell phones, giving them the support, information and tools they need to quit successfully. The service is free, but standard text messaging rates apply. People can enroll in the program just by texting QUIT to 503-831-9124 and following the prompts to enter their full name, sex, zip code and birth date.
In addition to the text messaging program, Oregon Health Plan members of Columbia Pacific CCO also qualify for a wide variety of other free services to help them stop using tobacco, including counseling, supports and prescription medications.
Columbia Pacific CCO members may qualify for a free cell phone with text messaging capability through the federal SafeLink program. Details on how to apply for a SafeLink phone can be found on the Columbia Pacific CCO website at www.colpachealth.org.
For more information about this story, contact Patti Atkins at [email protected] or 503-961-2535.
For more information about Columbia Pacific CCO, please contact Jeanie Lunsford at [email protected] or 503-416-3626.
About Columbia Pacific CCO
Established in September 2012, Columbia Pacific CCO coordinates health services for more than 25,000 Oregon Health Plan members in Columbia, Clatsop and Tillamook counties. For more information, please visit [http:// www.colpachealth.org]www.colpachealth.org.
