July 1, 2010

The six ActionToQuit State Grantees have begun working on their year-long projects to implement innovative strategies to increase access to tobacco cessation treatments.  Each month the newsletter will feature an interview a different grantee to share information about their projects.  The first interview is with Florida.

ActionToQuit:
Can you give our readers some basic information about your project—who is leading the project (lead agency, lead staff) and the project title?

Florida:
The American Lung Association of the Southeast, Inc. is the lead agency for the “Tobacco Cessation Summit and Action Plan.”  I am the lead staff person.  My name is Brenda Olsen and I am the Chief Operating Officer.

ActionToQuit:
Can you give us a brief summary of the project?

Florida:
The two components for this project are to build an alliance of organizations that share the goal of getting employers to recognize the value of offering tobacco cessation policies and programs in Florida and to hold a summit to develop a statewide plan of action.

ActionToQuit:
Who are your partners?

Florida:
The partners with the American Lung Association for this project are Florida Department of Health, Florida Academy of Family Physicians, Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, Tobacco Research and Intervention Program at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, the American Cancer Society, the American Health Association, Florida Area Health Education Centers Network, and Florida chapter of the March of Dimes.

ActionToQuit:
Do you have any non-traditional partners, or are there some you would like to secure by the end of the project?

Florida:
We would like to add the Florida Association for Health Plans and some of the major health insurance plans, as well as some employer groups.  Disney is an important employer in our state and would be a good addition.  Also the League of Cities, the Association of Counties, and state employees.

ActionToQuit:
Can you give us a brief snapshot of cessation policy in your state?

Florida:
Unfortunately, we do not have a clear picture of coverage for private employees.  Pharmaceuticals are covered for state employees.  Medicaid coverage is limited—some but not all pharmaceuticals are covered and enrollees get only one round of counseling for life. 

Through the state tobacco control program, there is significant funding for the quitline, and callers get free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) provided they enroll in the program.  Area health centers provide classes to businesses and communities, and some NRT.  The Department of Health can purchase other pharmaceuticals, but it is unlikely that they will.

ActionToQuit:
Can you tell us a little about your summit—When will it be, who are you inviting, what do you want to accomplish?

Florida:
The summit is scheduled for October 14 at the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute in Lake Nona, near Orlando.  We will have 100 people on site and another 100 in remote locations, using the Department of Health’s web conferencing capabilities in most of our 67 counties.  We will be recruiting county tobacco partnerships to participate.

The outcome of the summit will be a statewide plan of action (as opposed to a static state plan).  This plan of action will be something people in the counties, in all walks of life, can take into workplaces to implement.  The summit will be the beginning, not the end.  We intend to keep people engaged in the effort to increase cessation.

ActionToQuit:
What obstacles do you face?

Florida:
Selling the need for the summit will be an obstacle.  In light of the passage of health care reform, people will want to know why we need this summit now.  There are many unanswered questions about what health care reform addresses, what is grandfathered in, and definitions of services and provisions.

Recruiting will also be a challenge.  We will have to convince people that this will be an important process that will benefit businesses.  We need to show the economic benefit of providing cessation services, when initially the services add to costs.

Technology is another challenge.  We plan to integrate social media into the summit.  We will be posting updates on Facebook in real time and Tweeting.  It will be possible for people to feed questions through social media to the summit.

ActionToQuit:
Has there been any reaction or response to your plans yet?

Florida:
Our alliance has had only one meeting so far, with another one planned for after this interview.  But, the members are excited about this process.

ActionToQuit:
What would you like to be different in your state one year from now?

Florida:
I would like to see state employees and Medicaid recipients with comprehensive cessation coverage.  If that happens, I think it will pull the private insurers along.