Program evaluation has the greatest impact when it meaningfully involves the communities being served. Alaska’s evaluation of the Alaska Tobacco Quit Line (ATQL) was developed in partnership with Tribal health leaders to better understand lower utilization among Alaska Native people and ensure that survey questions were culturally relevant, respectful, and focused on improving services and outreach.


The evaluation followed nearly 4,000 ATQL participants who enrolled between August 2021 and September 2023. About seven months after enrollment (from March 2022 to May 2024), participants completed an online survey about their quitline experience and current tobacco use. The evaluation found that more than one in three adults (37%) who enrolled were able to quit using tobacco, Alaska Native and non-Native participants quit at similar rates, and while satisfaction was high across all groups, Alaska Native participants were even more likely than non-Native participants to report being satisfied with ATQL services.


The Talking Circles Project was designed to gather deeper feedback from Alaska Native communities and Tribal health experts to improve and tailor an ATQL program component for Alaska Native people. Working closely with Tribal partners, the team created a culturally grounded process that invited Alaska Native community members and Tribal health staff to share their experiences with tobacco, quit services, and ideas for improvement. Talking Circles were held with community members in seven public health regions, along with three virtual Talking Circles with Tribal health partners across Alaska.


Key recommendations from the Talking Circles included:


• Cultural and language support, such as training coaches on regional communication styles, ensuring interpretation and translated materials in Native languages where possible, and teaching coaches key phrases that build trust.
• Stronger nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) education, with clear information on how NRT works, potential side effects, and how to tailor combination therapy to daily life.
• Accessible, flexible services with 24/7 availability and multiple engagement options (phone, text, online, and virtual groups), plus support for connections to local in-person resources.
• Enhanced cultural competency, including coaches with shared lived experience (e.g., quitting tobacco, living in Alaska, or being part of Native communities) and familiarity with regional cultures, norms, and daily life.
• Dedicated coaching models, where participants are paired with primary, Alaska-based coaches to build continuity, trust, and stronger relationships over time.
  

Alaska is now using these insights and recommendations to guide ongoing planning and improvements for its tobacco quitline, with the goal of making services more culturally grounded, accessible, and effective for Alaska Native communities and other Alaskans.

Dear Colleagues,


The NAQC Annual Meeting is April 15–16! Register now to connect with peers and explore quitline innovations. This program is approved by the Council for Tobacco Treatment Training Programs to award 10 continuing education contact hours for tobacco treatment providers who successfully complete the program.


We’re thrilled to offer Sponsored & Networking Roundtables at this year’s meeting! These interactive, discussion-driven sessions are designed to encourage peer-to-peer learning and collaborative problem-solving on real-world challenges facing quitline professionals. Each roundtable is shaped by its host around a specific topic and focuses on participant dialogue rather than formal presentations, creating opportunities for shared experiences, thoughtful questions, and practical exchange. Please see the schedule below and be sure to reserve your seat early during the scheduled times, as space is limited. You can access the roundtables from the conference platform lobby during the times listed below and click “Join” for the discussion that interests you. You’ll then be placed in a Zoom room with other participants, where cameras and microphones will be enabled for interactive conversation.


April 15 Schedule:

5:00–5:50 PM ET


Doing More with Less: Pipe Dream or Possibility?

As if quitline budgets were not already constrained and providing a strong return on investment (ROI) to policymakers, the current funding environment demands heightened attention to program costs and efficiency. For this roundtable, RVO Health will set the stage for a conversation about increasing ROI in an era when quitline ROI may seem “maxed out.” Together, we will tackle normative questions about the value and positioning of quitlines, as well as share practical strategies for making the most of limited resources.

Sponsored by RVO Health.

You Came. You Learned. Now What? A Cessation Roundtable on Turning Insights into Enrollments

You’ve spent the 2026 Annual Meeting filling pages with brilliant ideas. Back in the office, reality sets in: a team stretched too thin, a budget that doesn't match your ambitions, and enrollment numbers that just aren't moving. The ideas are good. The mission is clear. Why is it so hard to make things happen? Join Rescue Agency for an action-first roundtable. Whether you're working with $500 or $500,000, you'll leave with a clearer picture of how to move forward with driving impact, grounded in the real barriers your team is facing. 
Sponsored by Rescue Agency.


April 16 Schedule:

11:00–11:50 AM ET


Evolving Strategies for Addressing Nicotine Pouches

As the evolving landscape of nicotine pouch products like Zyn, On!, and Velo become more visible and increasingly used, the session will ground participants in current trends and highlight why coordinated action is needed now. Participants will explore how nicotine pouches are marketed and used locally, what current data and surveillance systems are capturing (and missing), and how these products intersect with cessation efforts and clinical guidance. Discussion will focus across three key lenses: policy, surveillance, and cessation, and identify shared priorities and practical areas for collaboration.

Sponsored by National Jewish Health.


Driving Reach and Referrals: Proven and Innovative Strategies to Boost State Quitline Promotion and Partner Engagement

State quitlines are among the most effective tools for evidence-based tobacco cessation support, yet many programs struggle to consistently engage referral partners and reach priority populations. This roundtable will bring together funders, quitline service providers, and community and health system partners to share proven approaches for promoting quitlines and strengthening bidirectional referral pathways. Participants will co-create actionable strategies adaptable across states and settings, including FQHCs, hospital systems, community organizations, and Medicaid plans.

Sponsored by American Lung Association.


Register today for plenaries, on-demand content, exhibitors, and leaderboards. 

We hope to see you at the NAQC Annual Meeting!


NAQC Staff

Patricia (Pat) Bax, MS, RN, NCNTT, serves as the marketing and outreach coordinator for the New York State Quitline (NYS Quitline). She first joined the organization in 2004 in a different capacity and was soon invited by leadership at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center – the NYS Quitline’s vendor – to take on marketing and outreach responsibilities. Pat recalls feeling unsure at first.

“My first thought was, ‘I never took courses in marketing,’” she shared. “But then I realized that everyone markets themselves in some way. Our goal is to reach healthcare professionals and systems. I simply needed to inspire others to see that offering tobacco cessation treatment is one of the best things they can do for their patients.”

Pat has done exactly that. Her leadership has been instrumental in helping the NYS Quitline build a broad and diverse network of healthcare professionals across New York State. Through her efforts, more healthcare professionals have accessedpatient referral programs, participated in educational seminars, and requested customized training.



Before joining the NYS Quitline, Pat spent two decades in Western New York directing four behavioral health outpatient clinics. A registered nurse by training, she specialized in supporting patients overcoming addiction—skills that translated seamlessly into her outreach role and statewide training efforts with healthcare professionals and allied professionals.

“Even as tobacco control evolves, there remains a strong need to help healthcare professionals deliver effective tobacco treatment,” Pat said. “We must stay focused on reaching vulnerable populations and continue to frame quitting as both achievable and rewarding.”

Pat’s exceptional relationship-building skills, optimism, and clinical background have been central to the development and marketing of several Quitline initiatives, including the 2012 launch of Opt-to-Quit™—a systemwide, policy-driven approach that integrates patient referrals directly into electronic health records.

After recently completing six years of service on the NAQC Advisory Council, Pat looks forward with characteristic enthusiasm at the continued evolution and effectiveness of state quitlines. “Much like my beloved Buffalo Bills, I’m grateful for resilience and aim to spread as much positive energy as possible,” she said. “It’s deeply rewarding to help others feel uplifted and find joy within themselves.”