Tobacco Prevention & Cessation

Mission To foster a tobacco-free society through the use of proven activities and partnerships among communities and the people of Arkansas. The Arkansas Department of Health is leading the charge in tobacco control across the state of Arkansas. The Tobacco Prevention and Cessation program, launched in 2001, is aimed at reducing the burden of tobacco use by Arkansans. This program is charged with developing and implementing a statewide and comprehensive tobacco education, prevention, and cessation program. Each program component is developed and implemented based on evidence-based strategies outlined in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Best Practices and Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease,

The 2024-2029 ADH Strategic Plan represents a roadmap aimed at addressing important public health challenges and promoting well-being across the state of Arkansas. The Plan outlines the roles, priorities, and direction of the ADH over the next five years. Grounded in extensive research and stakeholder input, this Plan outlines comprehensive strategies to tackle five key health issues represented by the icons below. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), with the help of the Office of Performance Management, Quality Improvement, and Evaluation (OPMQIE), took systematic steps to execute the ADH strategic planning process. Survey responses were gathered from ADH staff to identify and prioritize public health focus areas, including health behaviors

The 2024-2029 Arkansas State Health Improvement plan (AR-SHIP) is a comprehensive, agency-wide initiative developed by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) in partnership with a diverse network of organizations, agencies, and stakeholders across the state. This multi-year strategic plan is designed to enhance the overall health and well-being of all Arkansans by identifying and addressing key health priorities through targeted goals, evidence-based strategies, and measurable outcomes. Illustrated below are the five focus areas of plan represented by the icons, specifically developed for AR-SHIP. The foundation for the prioritization of AR-SHIP focus areas is the State Health Assessment (SHA), which is a collection of statewide health data that provides insight into

Mission Statement To protect and improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans. Vision Statement Optimal health for all Arkansans to achieve maximum personal, economic and social impact. What is public health? One definition – from a 1988 report by the Institute of Medicine’s “The Future of Public Health” – is this: “Public health is the science and the art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and organizing community efforts to do the following: keep the environment clean, control communicable infections, educate individuals in personal hygiene (like hand washing for example), organize medical and nursing services for the early diagnosis and treatment of disease, and develop the social machinery to ensure everyone a healthy

**The Coordinated School Health program received funding from the CDC titled (CDC)RFA-DP-23-0002 School-Based Interventions to Improve Health, Academic Achievement, and Well-Being of Students. The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Health, are committed to bringing you school health content experts to implement health strategies that benefit students, school staff, and the community. We will continue to host quarterly CSH meetings with topics surrounding the WSCC Model and share relevant resources and funding opportunities as they arise. Arkansas has emerged as a leader in Coordinated School Health programs. Across the state, Coordinated School Health is growing and districts are advancing school wellness initiatives through their wellness committees. With the

School-Based Health Centers (SBHC) provide basic physical, mental, dental, or other services as needed. The health center provides more services than a school nurse and is not to replace the school nurse. The school-based health center is required to have a working relationship with the doctors of the child they see. Families can apply for ARKids and local resources connected to the health center for students’ and family convenience. The goal is for the center to be a resource center for wellness and prevention. Typical characteristics of an SBHC are as follows: The vision of Arkansas School-Based Health Centers is “Arkansas students will have quality, integrated school health services that

Act 1220 of 2003 created the role of the Act 1220 Coordinator/State School Health and Wellness Coordinator. The Act 1220 Coordinator (State School Health and Wellness Coordinator) works with the 1,102 schools in the 262 districts to ensure the requirements of Act 1220 of 2003 and related state and federal school health mandates are met. The main goal is to lower obesity rates by supporting best practices in food service, nutrition, physical, and health education. The State School Health and Wellness Coordinator work with school and district wellness committees to help ensure their annual School Health Index (SHI) and School Health and Wellness Improvement Plan are accurately completed and submitted

The Arkansas School Health Services work is a partnership between the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), the Arkansas Department of Education -Division of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE), and other statewide partners. By working together, we are able to help schools start and keep health and wellness activities that build a safe and healthy school setting so students can learn and be at their best. The health and education model we use is the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model (WSCC). This model puts the student at the center and stresses the importance of communities supporting schools. The Office of School Health Services at ADH provides professional development, technical