Case Study: Using Local Assessment to Increase 24/7 Policy Communication

Audience: State and local tobacco control program evaluators, community-based program staff, and organizations that have passed or plan to pass tobacco control policies. Key Points: This poster describes how one community-based tobacco control program assessed the methods five local school districts used to communicate their 24/7 tobacco-free campus policies. Results revealed significant gaps in compliance and messaging. As a result, program and evaluation staff collaborated to create a product which concisely summarized the results of the assessment and provided recommendations for improving policy communication. This product was presented to school board members, and as a result of the program’s efforts, each district committed to increasing the ways in which they communicate their 24/7 policies. Educational Experience: The poster will present the tools used in the assessment, results of the assessment and the forms used to present the results. The tools and data will be presented within the context of the program’s strategy for implementing the assessments and presenting the results. Benefits: Community-based tobacco control programs spend much of their time advocating for policies that restrict or prohibit tobacco use. This poster highlights the importance of follow-up with organizations that have adopted these policies, focusing on policy implementation and compliance. The tools provided are specific to conducting this sort of follow-up with schools, but are customizable to a variety of settings. Finally, successful strategies used by one program to present the results of their assessment and advocate for increased communication of the tobacco-control policy are highlighted.