Arkansas Case Study

Strategic Planning Process to Address Tobacco-Related Disparities in Arkansas

Implementation

Implementation Level

• State: N/A
• Local: Monies are always set aside to assist minority communities (15% off the top of the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) allocations). Staff members are being trained to understand issues impacted by tobacco-related disparities and local coalitions are required to rewrite work plans that do not demonstrate efforts in this area for rural communities.
• Business/Organizational Policy: N/A

What is the policy and/or program intervention designed to do?

N/A

Explain the implementation of the policy and/or program intervention.

The strategic planning process was developed to identify ways to reach communities and populations disparately affected by tobacco. The strategic plan focused on developing strategies for achieving seven goals identified by the strategic planning Workgroup. The overriding goal is to change the way the Arkansas Department of Health and its partners in tobacco prevention and cessation carry out their mission of assuring a healthier quality of life free from tobacco use for Arkansans, including eliminating health disparities related to tobacco use.

Background

The Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Education Program requested and received CDC funding to create a strategic planning process that would develop in a comprehensive plan to address disparities related to tobacco use among different population groups. The state was able to set aside 15% of the tobacco settlement funding to address disparities through the minority initiative.