HEALTH, RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF

Category B: Communities Putting Prevention to Work is a state-coordinated, small city partnership led by HEALTH and the City of Providence, Mayor’s Substance Abuse Prevention council (MSAPC) TFC is a comprehensive, citywide, culturally relevant tobacco control and prevention initiative that will prevent smoking initiation, reduce smoking rates and reduce exposure to second-hand smoke through broad-based systems change. The initiative will implement population-based approaches to policy, systems and environmental changes across five evidenced-based MAPPS strategies of Media, Access, Point of decision information, Pricing and Social support services. The TFC also places a strong focus through the selection of its intervention strategies to meet the special needs of populations that are disparately impacted by the burden of disease. The TFC will: 1. Launch a comprehensive, hard-hitting counter marketing media campaign, 2. Write and gain passage of multiple new city ordinances restricting tobacco marketing to youth, tobacco vendor marketing and point of sale practices and zoning governing tobacco vendor density and proximity to schools, 3. Create a new Providence tobacco vendor registration requirement, 4. Dramatically enhance police enforcement of tobacco vendor compliance, 5. Pilot a smoke free policy in a Providence Housing Authority complex for possible expansion to other units, 6. Initiate Providence Public School based policy change creating smoke free campuses and restricting tobacco sponsorship. The TFC will engage strong, citywide community-based partnerships, especially with organizations that represent disparately impacted populations and include the vocal and vibrant participation of Providence youth in the media campaign and enforcement strategies.

Clarification of Codes