Mental health care providers are optimally positioned to provide tobacco use treatment as they are well trained to address behavior change and have close and trusted relationships with their patients. Drs. Jennie Leskela and Kyle Curry, clinical psychologists from the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, join to discuss their work integrating tobacco use treatment into mental health care, originating in a research study integrating tobacco cessation into PTSD care. They have continued implementation of the integration protocol across mental health clinics at their medical center through creation of a network of clinical champions. Drs. Curry and Leskela together have decades of experience providing tobacco use treatment and share anecdotes demonstrating the effectiveness of this model of care and the professional fulfillment they’ve experienced in being able to provide this treatment to Veterans.

Find your nearest VA:https://www.va.gov/find-locations