Community Project (Public Housing)

The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Smoke-Free Housing initiative for federally assisted buildings enabled CEASE to implement its innovative peer motivator approach in a Baltimore City public housing community, the Monument East Apartments. As with other CEASE projects, the overall goal was a reduction in the rate of tobacco use among residents with the aim of reducing their risk for tobacco-related health problems. Experienced peer motivators from CEASE were employed to recruit and train three former smokers from Monument East Apartments. The three former smokers then recruited thirty current resident smokers. Peer motivators began with a single smoking cessation counseling session with mentees, followed by regular individual interactions. Twelve weeks after the mentoring phase, mentees received a follow-up survey and a carbon monoxide breath test to determine their smoking status. The peer motivator model was successfully implemented, and tobacco smoking among residents of Monument East Apartments was significantly reduced.