Staff, clients and visitors to the Stanley Street Treatment and Resources' (SSTAR) campus are no longer permitted to smoke anywhere indoors or out as of July 2, 2012. The action followed the work of an interdepartmental planning team made up of representatives of inpatient and outpatient services at the North End facility. Signs were placed throughout the campus to remind smokers of the new policy, and 20 dishes of hard candies were placed at strategic locations to help those who were coping with withdrawal from the addictive products. "We've been assisting both clients and staff with smoking cessation counseling and nicotine replacement products for the past few years," commented clinician Erica Sahlin. The policy will still allow smoking for inpatients and day patients who are confined to the building. Other Fall River treatment facilities that have smoke-free campuses include both Charlton and Saint Anne's Hospitals, the HealthFirst Family Care Center, the Corrigan Mental Health Center and Family Service Association. For more information about the SSTAR policy, contact Erica Sahlin at 508-679-5222. 

(Top row, left) Task Force members Sandy Degaetano, Alice Ouelletter, and Crustal Cote-Campos participate in the last meeting before implementation of the new policy on July 2, 2012. (Top row, right)  Task Force chair Erica Sahlin, Susan St. Amour and Linda Coutinho listen to suggestions by Joan Fitzsimmons, right, who played a large role in bringing about the policy change. (Middle row) Ms. Sahlin poses with her Smoke Free sticker  in front of a display in the outpatient lobby reminding patients of the new policy and offering assistance with quitting. (Bottom row) New signs have been placed at all of the entrances to the buildings and on the light poles in the parking lots. (Bottom row, center) Dishes of sugarless candy and fresh fruit were placed at strategic locations throughout the buildings both as a reminder of the policy and as an aid to those who are in the process of quitting.