New York

Project Summary

Thanks to several key advocates at both the state and local levels, implementation of the CATCH My Breath program reached 56 school districts across New York State during the 2018-2019 school year. Collaboration between the CATCH team and many partners throughout NYS contributed to the rapid growth. During the year, teachers, public health advocates, and parents participated in trainings, presentations, conferences, and webinars provided by CATCH. Development continues with the New York City Department of Education, Reality Check, local health departments and the CATCH team for further expansion of the program throughout NYS.
In order to meet the need for e-cigarette prevention across the state, the CATCH team conducted personalized presentations for several local health departments, school districts and community-based organizations. Ongoing support from the Erie County Health Department, Southern Tier Tobacco Awareness Coalition, substance abuse prevention organizations, New York State Association for Health, Physical Education Recreation and Dance (NY AHPERD) and CATCH My Breath Ambassadors, Crissy Groenewegen and Maryann Moriarty contribute to the continued growth across the state.

Photos & Videos

Outcomes

Since 2017, CATCH has delivered considerable impact across New York. By the end of the 2018-2019 school year, 77 schools implemented the CATCH My Breath program, reaching 21,025 students. A testimonial from an 8th grade student after finishing the program, “Kids don’t think about the long term effects. Stop now while you can. When I first heard of vaping, I thought it was safer than cigarettes but after the curriculum, I know about all the chemicals that are in an e-cigarette.”