Summary

In late 2013, the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center provided funding for the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) to establish a Smoking Cessation Virtual Nursing Academy. The overarching goal of the academy was to fund, recruit, and train nurse “Champions' to drive down the prevalence of tobacco use among people with mental health and substance use disorders. Using evidence-based research tools provided by the academy, the Champions were then charged with designing interventions for health care providers, clients, and students to address issues of tobacco dependence. Outcomes from the projects are discussed in this article.