Tobacco Helpline Services

The Vendor is required to provide to implement a statewide, no charge, and convenient multi-modal tobacco use cessation service to assist tobacco users in quitting.
- Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation indicate that simultaneous comprehensive approaches in prevention, cessation, and protection are necessary to effectively reduce the harm caused by tobacco use and achieve the following goals:
•    Prevent the initiation of tobacco use among youth
•    Promote quitting among youth, young adults, and adults
•    Eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke
•    Identify and eliminate the disparities related to tobacco use and its effects among different population groups.
- The secondary target audience includes health care professionals and health care systems seeking technical assistance and advice on tobacco dependence treatment interventions.
- The phrases such as 'tobacco-free’, tobacco use prevention’, ‘tobacco control’ mentioned in this document refer to commercially produced tobacco products and non-ceremonial use of tobacco.
- The Helpline is expected to provide content and support to family and friends of tobacco users and other concerned community members who may call for information and advice to help a tobacco user quit.
- The system must be able to handle multiple, simultaneous incoming and outgoing calls, live text and digital interactions with multilingual capability for all services (at a minimum, English and Spanish must be offered).
- All participant interaction systems must offer a strong, scalable communications server, automatic call distribution functionality, real-time monitoring of overall activity as well as individual interactions, collection, analysis and reporting of data, and telephony integration allowing information exchange between voice and data systems. At a minimum, the system must be able to track, during and outside of hours of operation, “hits to the line”, abandonment rates, wait times, length of all interactions.
- A computerized tracking system to document Helpline activity must be able to accurately tabulate discrete individuals, services provided, participant demographics and other characteristics including referrals into and out of the system. The system must be able to produce reports on the types and amounts of services provided per participant, service usage patterns by time of day, day of week and month.
- Must implement backup systems to ensure files and programs can be re-created in the event of loss by any cause, including a plan to safeguard data files.
- For participants who are ready to quit, the Helpline will assist participants with developing a personalized quit plan, provide comprehensive, proactive, phone-, digital-, and live text-based behavioral coaching and nicotine replacement therapy to interested participants, linkage with available health plan coverage for tobacco dependence treatment, and/or referral to community based services, if desired and available.
- Provide information and content (as appropriate) to tobacco users and nontobacco users, on tobacco dependence and its treatment, the dangers of secondhand smoke, etc.
- Assure a system infrastructure to provide immediate response to individuals seeking assistance with availability 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Voicemail is required for holidays or other exceptions.