Recently, WV's state health department (SHD) has been faced with making many decisions about distributing tobacco settlement monies to support tobacco prevention and reduction efforts. The allocation of funding and the subsequent efficacy of funded projects will influence how WV state government distributes future settlement monies. Recognizing that initial settlement monies provided the state with a rare opportunity to develop a comprehensive tobacco prevention plan, the SHD funded the Prevention Research Center at West Virginia University to form the Evaluation Oversight and Coordinating Unit (EOCU). The EOCU serves as an independent evaluator for all SHD-funded projects, a critical function since evaluation results can be a powerful resource in convincing policy makers of the value of supporting tobacco prevention efforts. EOCU duties, which go beyond the role of traditional evaluation, include: (1) developing Requests for Proposals, (2) providing general evaluation information, training, and technical assistance to proposal applicants, (3) establishing funding criteria, (4) reviewing submitted proposals, (5) providing funding recommendations, (6) creating standardized evaluation criteria, (7) offering data interpretation, and (8) assisting with long-term strategic planning. The EOCU ensures that every SHD-funded activity is evaluated to determine the extent to which projects meet their goals by establishing what approaches work best and understanding how to make program improvements. The partnership between the SHD and the EOCU ensures that WV tobacco control efforts are grounded in science, responsive to communities, and accountable to state government. This collaboration will impact tobacco prevention policy and practice across WV.
Learning Objectives: At the session's conclusion, the participant will be able to: 1. describe the role of an independent evaluator for state-funded tobacco control efforts; 2. articulate the value of establishing an independent unit to evaluate activities funded with tobacco settlement monies; 3. recognize the utility of evaluation results in securing funding for future tobacco prevention efforts; and 4. understand the value to public health of forming a partnership between an academic institution and the state health department.
Keywords: Tobacco Settlement, Evaluation
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The Evaluation Oversight and Coordinating Unit (EOCU) at West Virginia University's Prevention Research Center
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: grant