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Abstract #146057

Kelley Murphy, RN, MSN, Marion County Health Department, 505 E. National Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227, 317-221-5700, kmurphy@hhcorp.org

In the fall of 2006, a coalition named Hoosiers for a Healthier Indiana came together to advocate for a $1 increase in the Indiana tobacco tax. The group also agreed to advocate for all resulting revenue from this increase to be used to improve the health of Hoosiers.

Indiana has a cigarette tax of 55.5 cents per pack, the lowest in the Midwest. The smoking rate is one of the highest in the nation at 27.3%. This coalition formed around the notion that raising the tobacco tax by $1 would benefit a broad range of organizations for various reasons. The organizers felt multiple partners should be a part of the advocacy process, including those that were not traditionally linked together.

The author will show how this coalition formed around both traditional and non-traditional public health partners. The advantages and barriers due to the unique mix of participants will also be discussed. The presentation will outline the multiple strategies used to influence state legislators in their decision making process.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe strategies used by community based coalitions to effect change in public policy.
• Identify both traditional and nontraditional organizational partners in the local community.
• Discuss advantages and barriers to working with coalitions to change public health policy.

Keywords: Public Policy, Community Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.