Diabetes and tobacco use are two of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.

By 2030 an estimated 171 million people will be chronically ill, and those who use tobacco will suffer increased morbidity and mortality. The detrimental impact of diabetes and tobacco use/exposure epitomizes this very premise. Eliminating tobacco-related chronic disease disparities requires an interdisciplinary health promotion/prevention approach that emphasizes the integration of tobacco control and chronic disease strategies and programs.

PA cAARds! is the first integrated initiative of its kind in Pennsylvania and a unique collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Diabetes and Tobacco Prevention and Control Programs. PA cAARds! was adapted from California’s Do you cAARd? Program, a best practice model developed for diabetes health professionals/para-professionals. In October 2008, a group of local experts in Pennsylvania came together and adapted this program to Pennsylvania as a bidirectional tool for diabetes and tobacco health professionals and para-professionals.

The goals of the PA cAARds training initiative are to educate health care and other community based organizations providing diabetes and/or tobacco cessation in an integrated brief intervention and referral process and to work with these organizations to sustain integrated tobacco, diabetes, and other chronic disease efforts.

HPC will provide a comprehensive cross-training model for health care professionals/para-professionals that interact with diabetes and/or tobacco patients/clients. PA cAARds! provides an interdisciplinary structure for training, implementation, and even institutionalization of this integrated training model to public health professionals and volunteers including, but not limited to, physicians, nurses, diabetes educators, pharmacists, cessation specialists, health care providers, social workers, and paraprofessionals.  ALL TRAININGS ARE FREE AND CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS ARE AVAILABLE AT NO COST!

For registration and training details click one of the following:

North West Regional Training

South West Regional Training

For more information about this training, please contact:  Marlin Williams