Over the past several months, we have been working toward a greater integration of physical and behavioral health care. Because as a health care provider, we are concerned about a person’s overall health – not just their mental health. As we begin 2022, we are taking another step toward caring for the whole person – by helping them quit smoking.
We know that individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) often die 20 years earlier than the average person. This is often due to secondary health conditions. Many people with SMI smoke, which contributes to their poor health and early death. We also know that smoking is a health risk for our staff members. We are dedicated to doing everything we can to support our clients and staff in their journey to quit smoking.
Effective January 1, 2022, we are officially a smoke-free campus. All of our Wyandot Behavioral Health Network locations are now smoke-free environments. This change isn’t about restricting people from smoking on our grounds. It is a step we believe will contribute to overall improvements in the health of the individuals we serve, our staff and the larger Wyandotte County community.