Lessons of Partnership: Successes and Challenges Associated with the Dissemination of the Not-On-Tobacco Program within Cooperative Extension Service Framework

Abstract

Not-On-Tobacco (N-O-T) is a voluntary smoking cessation program for teens. The West Virginia Prevention Research Center (WVPRC) partnered with West Virginia University Extension Service to test a regional implementation model of N-O-T within the current 4-H infrastructure. Directed content analysis was used to allow for pre-determined themes and categories to be assessed by identifying barriers and successes at each phase of model implementation. The project effectively set a foundation of collaboration between Extension and the WVPRC, highlighted the differences between prevention theories and positive youth development ideology and showcased that Extension’s efforts are more successful when county based.