Tobacco Prevention and Control Program Sustainability Strategies

Rural tobacco prevention and control programs sustain program funding through:

• Contributions from partner organizations – Partner organizations can contribute funding, in-kind time, staff/volunteers, or space for meetings and classes
• Funding from grants and contracts – For example, The Truth Initiative or the Foundation for Rural Service, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
• Funding from state agencies – For example, state departments of human services and departments of health
• Funding from the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA)
  • In 2008, North Dakota voters passed a measure to use MSA dollars to fund and administer the Center for Tobacco Control Policy (BreatheND), which which conducted tobacco prevention and control activities. This program ended in 2017.
  • More information on state tobacco prevention spending and state tobacco revenues is available through the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
• Funding from federal agencies
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health administers the National and State Tobacco Control Program (NTCP), which funds state and territorial health departments to achieve the goals set out in Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs. The NTCP's Tobacco Control Map provides links to the NTCP-funded state programs.
  • The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy funds more than 400 grantees impacting the lives of 400,000 rural community residents. Some of these grantees have conducted tobacco prevention and cessation activities.
• Reimbursement from insurance programs – The American Lung Association describes how different insurance plans cover tobacco cessation services for beneficiaries. States may be able to secure Medicaid funding for services provided through tobacco quitlines. Program planners should determine which non-physician personnel are eligible to provide tobacco counseling in their state and which major insurance programs will cover counseling.

The Rural Community Health Toolkit also provides information about general Sustainability Strategies.

Resources to Learn More

Reimbursement for Smoking Cessation Therapy: A Healthcare Practitioner's Guide
Document
Reimbursement is a complicated process and this guide walks through many of those considerations and understand the regulating legislation. The guide explains different payers and stakeholders, available resources, and coding for billing. This was produced before the Affordable Care Act, so users should verify current legislation in addition to the information included.
Organization(s): Professional Assisted Cessation Therapy (PACT)