Increasing Proactive Referrals to the Maine Tobacco HelpLine

The Maine Tobacco HelpLine (MTHL) is a free service providing evidence-based tobacco treatment for all Maine residents.  Supported through funding from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the HelpLine is an initiative of the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence.  Individuals can contact the MTHL directly by phone (1-800-207-1230), register online for HelpLine services by visiting theQuitLink.com, or can be referred by their provider through electronic or fax referral.  Participants who are ready to quit within 30 days may be eligible to for free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) vouchers (up to 8 weeks for each biannual registration). Since 2001 the Maine Tobacco HelpLine has served over 100,000 Maine tobacco users, as well as providers, proxy and the general public

 In FY2018, the Maine Tobacco HelpLine received more than 10,000 incoming calls, with 92.6% being answered live and had 6,434 referrals from providers.  Providers play a key role in connecting their patients to quit services; referrals are proactive connections to the HelpLine through Electronic Health Record, Fax or another method.  More than half (4,115 of 6,434) of these proactive provider referrals were from MaineHealth-affiliated organizations.

 There were 5,300 registrations for the MTHL with 95.9% (5,084) being tobacco users – others included providers, proxies and general public.  The MTHL Tobacco Treatment Specialists completed a total of

9,504 counseling interactions with tobacco users interested in quitting.  Utilization of the HelpLine can increase quit success, based on results of a 2017 evaluation, the overall quit rate for the HelpLine was 26.1% compared to an unassisted quit rate of 3%.  For HelpLine participants who completed multiple counseling calls and used Nicotine Replacement Therapy the quit rate was 36.3%. 

For support to become tobacco-free, contact the Maine Tobacco HelpLine at 1-800-207-1230 or visit www.theQuitLink.com.

For more information about Tobacco Treatment click here.

¹ Fiore, M., Jaen, C., Baker, T., et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. [Clinical Practice Guideline]. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Service. (May 2008). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK63952/ (March 2017)