{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T15:08:51Z","timestamp":1785424131456,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777507200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Medicaid Services"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/045rcvm30","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Department of Public Health, Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04thj7y95","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Tobacco use remains disproportionately high among adults living with mental illnesses (MIs), contributing to excess morbidity and mortality, particularly in high-burden states such as Kentucky. Behavioral healthcare providers are well-positioned to address this disparity but often lack formal training in evidence-based tobacco treatment. Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) training provides healthcare providers with skills to deliver evidence-based tobacco treatment; however, traditional TTS training models often rely on synchronous, in-person or live virtual formats, which may limit accessibility for some healthcare workforces. Asynchronous, web-based delivery models may reduce these barriers. This study evaluates a targeted, asynchronous TTS training program designed for providers working in Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) across Kentucky between 2020 and 2024. Using a one-group post-test-only design to assess engagement and completion and a one-group pre-test\u2013post-test design among completers, we examined program outcomes and changes in knowledge and attitudes. Eligible participants were nominated by the administrative team at each CMHC. Of 100 registered participants, 70.0% enrolled and 55.0% completed the program. Among completers (n = 55), knowledge scores increased significantly from pre- to post-test (t[51] = 7.6, p &lt; 0.001). Participants also reported significant improvements in perceived skills (t[51] = 7.9, p &lt; 0.001) and knowledge of resources to deliver tobacco treatment (t[51] = 7.8, p &lt; 0.001), while perceived time to deliver services did not change significantly. These findings suggest that asynchronous TTS training is a feasible approach to improving tobacco treatment knowledge and confidence among behavioral health providers, though additional strategies may be needed to enhance completion and assess practice-level impact.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph23050580","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T08:03:47Z","timestamp":1777536227000},"page":"580","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Evaluation of a Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program Targeted to Behavioral Health Professionals"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"23","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5674-6253","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chizimuzo","family":"Okoli","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarret","family":"Seng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bassema Abu","family":"Farsakh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emily","family":"Koyagi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Heather","family":"Beck","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4310-4630","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Audrey","family":"Darville","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1566","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2022.4790","article-title":"Trends in prevalence of cigarette smoking among US adults with major depression or substance use disorders, 2006\u20132019","volume":"327","author":"Han","year":"2022","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2385","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMp2500491","article-title":"The epidemic of tobacco harms among people with mental health conditions","volume":"393","author":"Gilbody","year":"2025","journal-title":"N. 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