QuitWorks Services for Your Patients

The Massachusetts Smokers' Helpline, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, provides the QuitWorks counseling services.

 What We Offer Your Patients

QuitWorks offers multiple services to all tobacco users, whether they are thinking about quitting, they are ready to make a quit attempt, or have already quit and are seeking help to stay quit. Here is what your patients are offered: 

• Up to five calls to make contact with your patient
• Intake, assessment and brief motivational call
• Five telephone-based counseling sessions
• Referral to a website for smokers (www.makesmokinghistory.org)
• Referral to community tobacco treatment programs
• Follow-up calls at seven months

 Telephone Counseling Calls
QuitWorks offers multi-session telephone counseling using the Helpline's evidence-based protocol based on the following theoretical frameworks:

• Practicing Social Learning Theory – we work with each QuitWorks
  patient and teach him/her that smoking is a learned behavior and can be
  unlearned. We also support each patient to increase his/her self-efficacy
  and self-regulation.
• Implement Motivational Interviewing to boost motivation.
  Helpline counselors address and help QuitWorks patients to resolve
  ambivalence as well as empower clients to choose change.
• Teaching Cognitive behavioral strategies for daily application – We
  work with each QuitWorks patient to create a solid quit plan for
  quitting and relapse prevention.

Session	Schedule	Objectives
1	Immediately following intake call to 1 - 7 days after, scheduled per caller convenience	Establish rapport  Determine reasons for smoking, reasons for quitting, and concerns about quitting  Discuss nicotine addiction  Answer questions, concerns regarding quit date
2	OPTIMAL: 2 days before quit date RANGE: 1 - 3 days before quit date	Aid caller in preparation for quit day  Assess status of stop-smoking medications and discuss further if needed  Discuss and practice thought and action strategies
3	OPTIMAL: 1 day after quit date RANGE: 1 - 2 days after quit date	Assess quit status and emotional state  Conduct appropriate session based upon caller's quit status  Assess caller's use of quit strategies and stop-smoking medications  Plan for handling future tough situations that will come up in the next week
4	OPTIMAL: 7 days after Session 3 RANGE: 5 - 9 days after Session 3	Assess quit status, emotional state, and use of stop-smoking medications  Assess caller's motivation to remain a non-smoker  Plan for handling future tough situations that will come up in the next week  Reinforce caller for their success
5	OPTIMAL: 14 days after Session 3 RANGE: 12 - 16 days after Session 3	Assess quit status, emotional state, and use of stop-smoking medications  Assess caller's motivation to remain a non-smoker  Remind caller to prepare to cope with urges to smoke in advance; plan for action and thought strategies, and do mental rehearsals of them  Reinforce caller for their success

 

The first counseling call is the most comprehensive session and takes
about 45 minutes to complete.  The focus is on preparation to quit for
smokers and relapse prevention for those who have already quit.  The
second session is based on the Quit Day and Quit Plan. Each of the 3
follow-up sessions last about 10-15 minutes and focus on relapse
prevention.  All sessions are scheduled based on client interest and
availability.