NAQC recognizes that funding and sustainability for the quitline community is critical to its success. With that in mind, NAQC works with its members and partners on activities to increase visibility of quitlines among the public and policymakers; engages, as appropriate, in policy activities impacting quitlines and offer tools and resources to support these efforts. Following are highlights of NAQC's work in this area.
Communicating with Our Members & Partners
Making the Case for Quitlines: A Toolbox for Communicating with the Media, Policy makers and the Public.
In July 2010, NAQC published this toolbox to help quitlines better communicate with the media, policy makers and the public about the importance of their work. The toolbox includes two new fact sheets and a repository of innovative materials developed by state quitlines.
Repository of Innovative State Quitline Materials
Conference Call - Stimulus Funding for U.S. Quitlines
On September 2, 2009, NAQC convened a conference call with its members to discuss the likelihood of up to $45 million in funding from the stimulus package being allocated to state quitlines and preparations that should be undertaken to prepar for the funding. If you were unable to attend this call, or would like to access the many resources referenced during the call, you can do so via the following documents:
NAQC Issue Papers aim to provide critical knowledge on important quitline topics and guidance for decision-making.
Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the U. S., causing approximately 438,000 deaths each year. Quitlines are telephone-based tobacco cessation services that help tobacco users quit through a variety of services, including counseling, medications, information and self-help materials. Quitline effectiveness is documented by numerous research studies. Through the leadership of state and federal governments, quitlines have become increasingly popular in the U.S. due to their centralization, cost-effectiveness and ability to reach tobacco users in rural and urban areas. With state budget cuts on the rise, the ability of quitlines to provide evidence-based tobacco cessation services is under threat. Yet, without adequate, sustained funding for quitlines, tobacco use prevalence is unlikely to decline. This NAQC Issue Paper makes the case for quitline investment and sustainability.
An emerging issue related to quitline sustainability is third-party reimbursement for quitline services. As part of a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), NAQC developed an issue paper on third-party reimbursement of quitlines to serve as a resource to NAQC members and tobacco control partners. Due to differences in healthcare financing in the U.S. and Canada, this project focuses solely on U.S. quitlines. This paper assesses the current practices of quitlines with regard to third-party reimbursement and other forms of financial support, provides an overview of the opportunities for obtaining third party support and sets next steps for garnering third-party financial support for quitlines.
NAQC Media Activity
May 29, 2009 - WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY HIGHLIGHTS SMOKING'S HEALTH HAZARDS, US TELEPHONE QUITLINES STRUGGLE TO SERVE ALL CALLERS SPURRED BY FEDERAL TOBACCO TAX HIKE
May 31 is World No Tobacco Day, a day sponsored by the World Health Organization to encourage smokers to quit. With the recent 62-cent federal tobacco tax increase, more smokers than ever seek to kick tobacco. The nation’s telephone quitlines have seen an increase in calls since the tax hike, with calls more than doubling in March as compared to February and three times higher than the same time last year.
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