Prevention Matters

Partnership for Prevention has awarded three new ActionToQuit State Grants to Georgia, Iowa and Michigan for the implementation of innovative strategies to increase access to tobacco cessation treatments. Funds are to be used primarily for the development of state alliances/summit meetings and the creation of strategic plans. The projects will range from focusing on employer groups and health care systems to increasing cessation coverage for Medicaid recipients.

The six original ActionToQuit grantees - Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New England, New York and Virginia – have also received funds to continue efforts made in 2010. Funds will be used to the implement the state strategic plans developed during the first year of the program.

With funding from the Pfizer Foundation, Partnership hopes to dramatically increase access to and use of proven tobacco cessation treatments through this grant program. The focus of the ActionToQuit State Grants is system and policy change in tobacco cessation which will be accomplished through the strengthening of state level alliances for tobacco cessation. These alliances will chart a course for increasing coverage for these services in States, strengthen quitlines, work with health systems/employers/insurers, and promote the importance of tobacco cessation. As a result, utilization of these treatments will increase and tobacco use will decline.

To learn more about the ActionToQuit state grant program and the 2011 projects, please visit http://actiontoquit.org/stateprojects/.