Identifying and responding to technical assistance and training needs in tobacco prevention and control.

The Master Settlement Agreement generated expectations that significant, long-term funding would be available to the 46 participating states in reparation for the health costs incurred by tobacco use. Facing intense pressure to use anticipated funds for effective programming, states and national organizations considered how to supply the technical assistance and training at the state and local levels. This article reviews assessments by the American Legacy Foundation, the Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium, and selected states of the current needs for support, technical assistance, and training in tobacco prevention and control. Key findings indicated the need for information, information exchange, mentoring, and training targeted to new staff, with advanced skill sets for experienced staff. As future funding is uncertain, all these organizations are exploring innovative ways to maintain infrastructure and programming at the state and local levels. Training and technical assistance can be the solution to sustaining impetus in the movement.

Giving infants a great start: launching a national smoking cessation program for pregnant women.

Data suggest that 12%-22% of women smoke during pregnancy. The link between smoking during pregnancy and adverse health and reproductive outcomes has been well documented. Great Start is a public education and smoking cessation program developed especially for pregnant women. Launched in December 2001, Great Start was the first national program focused on providing free and confidential smoking cessation counseling to pregnant women through a toll-free quitline. Great Start consisted of a media campaign to raise awareness and direct women to telephone counseling tailored for the pregnant smoker, and educational materials designed to support pregnant women through cessation counseling. The program was evaluated to assess the ability of the television ads to reach pregnant smokers and the effectiveness of a quitline for increasing cessation rates among pregnant women. Great Start demonstrates that it is possible to reach pregnant smokers through television ads that provide information about the consequences of smoking while pregnant, are affirming in tone, and provide direction for women to take action. Initial response to the program indicates that pregnant women want to quit and confirms the need for programs designed specifically to address the needs of this population.

Youth Tobacco Cessation Collaborative and National Blueprint for Action.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the formation of the Youth Tobacco Cessation Collaborative (YTCC), a voluntary collaborative of leading funders of youth tobacco cessation research and services. METHODS: The long-term goal and specific short-term (2-year) goals, strategies, and accomplishments are briefly described with reference to its guiding action plan: National Blueprint for Action: Youth and Young Adult Tobacco-Use Cessation. RESULTS: Aiming to accelerate the pace of discovery and application, YTCC efforts have created a strategic vision for making progress toward filling key knowledge and intervention gaps. CONCLUSIONS: Lessons learned about effective partnership are reviewed, and future directions are described.