230088 Building partnerships to support compliance with and strengthening of local smoke-free laws

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 8:45 AM - 9:00 AM

Donna Viverette, MPH , Health Education Program - Tobacco Prevention Initiative, Jefferson County Public Health, Arvada, CO
With the passage of Colorado's statewide smoke-free law in 2006, a local health department tobacco control program began developing diverse partnerships and approaches to increase compliance with the law at the local level. With limited funding the program has been able to engage vital partners in approaching compliance issues. Partnerships include a network of law enforcement liaisons representing the major municipalities in the county, community advocates and coalition members who conduct compliance assessments and report suspected violations, municipal staff who serve as advocates from stronger laws, a special investigator from the District Attorney's office who provides consultation and creative solutions to increase compliance, and building department and consumer protection staff who support code enforcement activities and alert tobacco control staff of compliance concerns. The initial interest in identifying time-saving and effective compliance-enhancing activities has led to an unexpected benefit: support from these partners for stronger local tobacco control laws. These partners helped with the initiation of a newly formed network of elected officials, the Joint Municipal Leaders group, who've begun convening to coordinate efforts to implement stronger smoke-free and youth access policies across the County. The presenter will discuss how the various partnerships were facilitated and supported. Resource materials to assist with compliance assessment activities will be presented/shared. Lessons learned from these efforts, including the evolution and process of the Joint Municipal Leaders group will be discussed.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify at least one new potential partnership that may be developed to increase local compliance with smoke-free laws. 2. Describe at least one approach to mobilizing community support for compliance and strengthening local smoke-free policies

Keywords: Public Policy, Tobacco Control

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I oversee and support the implementation of program activities pertaining to tobacco control and public policy initiataives as part of my duties at a local/county health department
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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.

Back to: 3059.0: Tobacco control