Youth Cessation Project: A Partnership Between Schools & State Tobacco Control Program Karen Becker Program Manager American Lung Association of New Hampshire

New Hampshire N-O-T ® Pilot Project

New Hampshire Tobacco Prevention and Control Program  TPCP  New Hampshire State Tobacco Control Program  Monies available for funding from the Master Tobacco Settlement

American Lung Association of New Hampshire  ALANH  One ALA office in New Hampshire  Applied for a grant from the NH Tobacco Prevention and Control Program to implement a state-wide youth tobacco cessation project  Proposed use of the N-O-T ® Program

N-O-T® Program  Stands for ‘Not On Tobacco’  American Lung Association Program  Designed to help teens quit smoking  Research based and evaluated  School based program  Voluntary  Led by a trained facilitator  10 weekly sessions  Gender-specific  Incorporates a “total health approach” to helping teens quit smoking

Why the NH Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP) sponsored the N-O-T® Pilot Project? To determine whether: 1.) High School students will participate in a program that can help them quit smoking 2.) School Administrators will support such a program in their high schools.

Why a ‘Pilot’ Project?  ALANH had implemented N-O-T® at a number of NH high schools in the previous several years  This project would allow for the program to be offered at high schools throughout the entire state

Why a ‘Pilot’ Project?  N-O-T® is considered an ALA ‘Best Practice’ Program  National Best Practice Recommendations have not been identified for youth tobacco cessation at this time

Grant provided funds to:  Support a full-time coordinator  Purchase N-O-T® recruitment materials (posters, giveaways)  Purchase N-O-T® incentives  Hold celebratory pizza parties and provide snacks  Provide facilitator stipends  Hire University of New Hampshire Survey Center to evaluate project data

Project Timeline  May ALANH officially receives grant from TPCP  June Full Time Project Coordinator is hired  July Recruitment begins!

Recruitment Goals for the Project  Recruit 15 New Hampshire High Schools  Recruit 300 students to participate in the project  Recruit and train 30 school-based facilitators

Recruitment June Application developed  Contact information & Principal’s signature  Asked to identify two potential program facilitators from their school  Indicate criteria that indicates school’s commitment to tobacco prevention and control

Indicators of School Policy  Our school provides signage about its tobacco free campus policy  Information about tobacco free policy is printed in student handbook  Our school has promoted cessation to students and faculty in the past  Tobacco prevention is addressed in our health education curriculum  We have a student, teacher, or parent task force addressing tobacco use  Other indicators____________

Recruitment  July Application was mailed to all New Hampshire High Schools  Addressed directly to Principals  Accompanied by: A letter A packet describing the project in detail Sheet describing ‘Effective Facilitators’

Recruitment  August/September Follow-up calls and s to schools  Confirm that application found its way to the principal  Local coalitions were also informed of the project and asked to call/visit their local schools to encourage their applying for the project

Selection of Schools  Deadline: September 30, 2002  ‘Rolling Admission’ until that date  Great response!18 schools were selected (diverse location, size, etc.) & 34 facilitators were recruited and trained  Selected Schools: Sent acceptance letter Called principals to schedule a short meeting Informed of Facilitator Training Dates

Principal Meetings  Project Coordinator met with each principal  Facilitators also attended meeting-if possible  Discussed school’s responsibilities: Provide meeting space Provide facilitators for the program Provide support for the program

Principal Meetings  Discussed specific standards for the project: Implement the program during the school day Follow a sensitive timeline School-based facilitators must attend training Complete all required evaluations Voluntary & Confidential program Recruit students and enable consistent attendance Parental consent  Signed agreement*

Recruiting Students  Schools were encouraged to: Hang posters/fliers Include program information with morning/afternoon announcements Word of mouth Invite N-O-T® Coordinator to assist with recruitment

Recruiting Students  Coordinator scheduled time to visit each school to help with recruiting  Set up recruitment table (during lunch)  Giveaways (pencils, candy)  CO testing  Displayed incentives  Talked about program Approximately 175 students were recruited for the project

Program Implementation  All classes began by December 2002 to allow for 3-month follow-up evaluation in spring  23 N-O-T® groups were implemented at 16 schools  Facilitators and Principals were also asked to complete evaluations  University of New Hampshire Survey Center compiled project data

Evaluation Data from the Project  24% of participants were smoke-free at the end of the program (dropped to 20% 3 months after the program)  Participants significantly reduced the number of cigarettes smoked on weekdays by 54% and by 44% on weekends.  The most effective ways to inform students about the program remains friends, posters or by teacher. Handouts were considered to be the most effective notification.  Participants of the program report that stopping or reducing smoking has been helpful to them in other areas of their lives, especially in improving self-esteem and in dealing with stress.

Why the NH Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP) sponsored the N-O-T® Pilot Project? To determine whether: 1.) High School students will participate in a program that can help them quit smoking- YES! 2.) School Administrators will support such a program in their high schools- YES!

Principal Evaluation of the N-O-T® Pilot Project  100% were satisfied overall with the program  100% would offer the program at their school again  Barriers/Challenges noted: student recruitment, student attendance, scheduling issues

Principal’s Remarks  “Great program. Thanks for including us.”  “Very successful- only needed a conference room to meet in.”  “Great program. Great curriculum.”  “The materials and support for N-O-T® have been excellent.”

What worked?  Having one contact person for schools/administrators  Meeting with principals- explaining the program and the school’s responsibilities  Personal interaction  Signed contracts  Getting the principal involved and having his/her support for the program

What worked?  Being able to provide a “complete program” (curriculums, workbooks, incentives, etc.) at no cost to schools  Realistic timeline- need time to recruit!  Visiting schools to recruit students  Lollipop fliers

Challenges  Getting schools on board  Student recruitment  School calendar  Students missing classes  Funding  Coordination

Funding for Year Two  July 2003, the New Hampshire Legislators vote to eliminate all tobacco control funding from the Master Settlement funds  NO Year 2 for the Pilot Project

N-O-T® in New Hampshire  ALANH continues to offer the N-O-T® Program throughout the state with limited resources.  Many of the Pilot Project schools continue to offer the program at their schools

Thank you! Please call or with any questions. Karen Becker Program Manager American Lung Association of New Hampshire