Greene County to Receive $60,000 in Funding to Reduce Tobacco Use
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, will join other state and local officials on Friday, June 13, at the Greene County Health Department in Greeneville to present $60,000 in funding as part of the Tennessee Tobacco Settlement Program.
Each county in Tennessee will receive funding during this three-year program to reduce the burden of tobacco use in the state. All counties are challenged to set goals and select one or more projects that address three topics: eliminating smoking during pregnancy; reducing infants’ and children’s exposure to second-hand smoke; and preventing child and adolescent tobacco use. Greene County will focus its first-year project on reducing infants’ and children’s exposure to second-hand smoke.
Funding from the Tobacco Settlement was provided to the Tennessee Department of Health for fiscal years 2014-16 to address the state’s high rate of tobacco use and prevent expensive related medical costs. The plan to distribute $15 million over three years has been generated with input from all 95 counties. This plan includes a variety of projects to target behaviors designed to protect the health of Tennessee’s most vulnerable populations: unborn babies, pregnant women and children.
Who: John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Health
Rebekah English, RN, MPH, Northeast Regional Health Director, Tennessee Department of Health
Shaun Street, MPH, Greene County Health Director, Tennessee Department of Health
Alan Broyles, Greene County Mayor
Rep. Jeremy Faison, District 11
Rep. David Hawk, District 5
What: Presentation of Tennessee Tobacco Settlement Program funding
When: Friday, June 13, 2:45 p.m. EDT
Where: Greene County Health Department
810 West Church Street
Greeneville, Tennessee 37744
MEDIA CONTACTS: Shelley Walker, 615.253.5184 or Shelley.Walker@tn.gov or Beth Rader, 423.979.4591 or Beth.Rader@tn.gov.