Little Rock—It took careful planning, exacting requests for proposals, painstaking interviews of prospective vendors and vigilant review of contracts.

It involved the time-consuming process of interviewing and hiring qualified personnel, final approval of a campaign theme, selection of effective media, and building the infrastructure for local coalitions. It required the development of cessation programs and implementation of an enforcement plan as well as benchmarking surveys to help measure the impact a campaign has on Arkansans.

From conception to implementation, the creation of the Arkansas Department of Health's (ADH) Tobacco Prevention and Education Program (TPEP) required due diligence, but all the homework is beginning to pay off, according to Lynda Lehing, TPEP Team Leader and Medical Care Services Administrator. "All positions allocated to the ADH for the Tobacco Prevention and Education Program have been filled except for the nurses. We are up and running. We've made a lot of headway but still have much to do."

One of the first things accomplished was an annual plan and a report to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)addressing their "Best Practices" initiative. Soon thereafter, the statewide program began to take shape.

Communities
A request for proposals for local coalition and community-based programs was issued on December 10, 2001. TPEP received approximately 150 letters of intent and 250 persons attended a daylong seminar on January 24. The training covered specific tobacco topics and the application process. Proposals were due March 1, 2002. Coalition funding and activities are expected to begin by late May.

Youth
TPEP team members have started organizing a statewide youth program called Students Working Against Tobacco (S.W.A.T). The program will use peer influence to reduce the use of tobacco products among students of all ages, schedule and conduct youth summits, and assist local anti-tobacco coalitions.

Enforcement
An agreement was signed with the Arkansas Tobacco Board (ATB) on August 1, 2001, for enforcement of state laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors. ATB, following the hiring and training of a supervising agent, started compliance checks the first week of February. Additional agents will be hired in coming weeks.

Cessation
A sub-recipient agreement with UAMS to supplement a feasibility study on a smoking cessation program for Head Start caregivers took effect February 1, 2002. The agreement will improve caregivers' knowledge and awareness of the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on the health of children. It is also designed to produce behavior changes in Head Start caregivers who smoke through a cognitive-behavioral program and nicotine replacement therapy.

Advertising, Media & Public Relations Campaign
February marks the introduction of the statewide Stamp Out Smoking (SOS) media campaign (www.stampoutsmoking.com) through television and radio spots, both in the general population and minority markets, addressing the health effects of both smoking and second-hand smoke.

As part of its developing public relations and youth outreach programs, SOS has also announced its sponsorship of the first ever Central Arkansas Soapbox Derby competition for children ages 9-16 and Kids' Court Sponsorship of the SunCom 3-on-3 Basketball Classic.

Minorities
A sub-recipient agreement with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff took effect August 1, 2001, for the creation of a Masters of Science in Addiction Studies program.

A sub-recipient agreement took effect this month with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). LULAC will assess the prevalence of smoking among the Hispanic population, implement a statewide Hispanic Health Radio network and establish toll-free telephone line for Hispanics to get further health information and assistance.

A sub-recipient agreement took effect this month with the Arkansas Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical Association, providing prevention and cessation programs for African American adults and youth.

Schools & Nurses
Of the 19 nurses to be employed through the program, the statewide nursing coordinator has been hired. Two nursing positions are currently being advertised. The 16 remaining nursing positions will be advertised once details are completed with the educational cooperatives.

Surveillance & Evaluation
To provide quality assurance and meet the goals of performance-based budgeting, The Gallup Organization was selected to help ADH design systems of accountability; in doing so, it conducted in December 2001 a series of focus group studies. It is also working with TPEP to develop a reporting format for the community grantees.

A professional services contract took effect January 18, 2002, with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to conduct an Adult Tobacco Survey.

Chronic Disease Programs
A professional services contract with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Public Health went into effect January 1, 2002. The contract provides a Ph.D. epidemiologist for the Arkansas Central Cancer Registry.

Rules and regulations for the Great Strides Program have been drafted and are currently being reviewed by the Governor's Council on Fitness members. All efforts will be made to get them on the April 2002 Board of Health agenda.

"While we have accomplished a lot in the last several months, much of what we have done is just the foundation for the overall statewide program," Lehing said. "The real challenge for the team will be the 12-month period from July 1 to June 30, 2003. During that time we will see major growth of and interaction between the different segments of the program, as well as coordination of efforts between TPEP and other special interest groups.

"This is also a time when we will begin evaluating feedback and research to determine the effectiveness of our campaign," Lehing explained. "This will be a great opportunity for us to fine-tune and redirect any efforts as suggested through focus groups and other forms of measuring impact on smokers and non-smokers alike."

"The TPEP team is thankful to the Governor, the state Legislature and ADH Director Fay Boozman for the opportunity to have such a great and positive health impact on our friends and neighbors across the state," Lehing said.

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