FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP—CentraState Healthcare System became tobacco-free on all campuses today in conjunction with the American Cancer Society’s 32nd Great American Smokeout. While tobacco use has been banned for years within system facilities, the new tobacco-free initiative—announced during last year’s Great American Smokeout—extends to the exterior grounds and parking lots.
The new policy applies to employees, physicians, patients, visitors, students, volunteers, vendors and others at all CentraState Freehold locations, which currently include: CentraState Medical Center; Donna O’Donnell, RN Medical Arts Building; Star and Barry Tobias Ambulatory Campus; Family Medicine Center; Applewood Estates retirement community; Monmouth Crossing assisted living community; The Manor Health & Rehabilitation Center; and Route 33 administrative offices. Residents of CentraState’s senior living communities will be accorded a limited exemption per housing regulations.
"We are not requiring anyone to quit smoking or using other tobacco products—although we certainly encourage it. But we are requiring that they refrain from using tobacco while on CentraState property," John T. Gribbin, FACHE, CentraState Healthcare System president and CEO, said. Smoking cessation classes and support groups led by trained tobacco dependency treatment specialists are offered to employees and the community through CentraState’s Health Awareness Center. For more information, call (732) 308-0570.
As a member of the New Jersey Tobacco-Free Hospital Campus Collaborative, CentraState is among more than 25 hospitals and health organizations throughout the state going tobacco-free today or by early 2009.
CentraState Healthcare System is a non-profit community health organization consisting of an acute-care hospital, an ambulatory campus, three senior living centers, a Family Medicine Residency Program, and a charitable foundation. CentraState is a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network and a clinical research affiliate of The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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