The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #71521

Elizabeth W. Edsall, MSc and Linda A. Bailey, JD, MHS. Center for Tobacco Cessation, 901 E. Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20004, 2025853200, elizabeth.edsall@cancer.org

The Center for Tobacco Cessation established a Policy Roundtable to examine how states can expand coverage for tobacco dependence treatment. The project’s assessment focused on the organization, delivery, and financing of services as well as quality assurance. Policy implications related to expansion efforts were also addressed. A 16-member roundtable was established to conduct the project. Three meetings were convened for this multidisciplinary membership to hear case studies of select states’ experiences in expanding cessation services and from experts on cessation science, policy and implementation issues. An environmental scan of state cessation activities was also conducted. This presentation will provide an overview of the Roundtable’s findings and recommendations. The authors will discuss the current status of state cessation activities, lessons learned from state case studies, and key factors that inhibit or enhance cessation services delivery. Recommendations for both the public and private sectors to expand coverage for tobacco dependence treatment at the state level will also be discussed. Opportunities do exist for organizing, financing and delivering effective statewide cessation services. While the political environment of any state weighs heavily on the provision of cessation services, it appears that key stakeholders in the public and private sectors understand that they share responsibility for such services. Collaboration between the public and private sectors and agreement about roles and responsibilities is the greatest determinant of success in such expansion efforts.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will gain an understanding of the current status of state tobacco cessation activities.
• Attendees will learn the factors that encourage and inhibit expansion of cessation services at the state level.
• Attendees will learn the key policy recommendations for the public and private sectors to expand coverage and delivery of statewide cessation services.

Keywords: Policy/Policy Development, Smoking Cessation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: The Roundtable is a project of the Center for Tobacco Cessation. The CTC is jointly funded by the American Cancer Society and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Elizabeth Edsall is the research associate for the Center for Tobacco Cessation