About Us

• MISSION

• GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• OPERATIONS

Mission

The North Carolina Alliance for Health works to improve the health of North Carolinians by advocating policies that promote wellness and reduce the impact of tobacco use and obesity.

Guiding Principles

The Alliance aims to:

• Engage in proactive advocacy for policies and positions to reduce tobacco use that are agreed upon by the Alliance membership.
   
• Develop and promote long and short-term goals to implement policies to reduce tobacco use.
   
• Develop long and short-term strategies to achieve our policy goals.
   
• Encourage collaboration among all organizations and individuals interested in reducing tobacco use.
   
• Inform the public about tobacco-related issues.
   
• Ensure adequate sustainable funding for programs and services in NC to reduce tobacco use

Accomplishments

• 2008: Worked to make all state gov’t vehicles smoke-free; gave authority to local govt’s to make local gov’t vehicles smoke-free
• 2008: Clarified the authority of Community Colleges to make their grounds tobacco-free (cc’s already had authority to regulate smoking inside buildings)
• 2007: Worked to pass HB 259 to eliminated secondhand smoke in restaurants, most bars and lodging facilities and would have restored local control (failed in House, 61-55)
• 2007: Worked to pass HB 24 to make all state gov’t buildings smoke-free; gave local govt’s the option to make local gov’t buildings smoke-free
• 2006: Worked to make the General Assembly Buildings smoke-free
• 2005: Worked to raise NC’s cigarette tax from 5 to 35 cents

The North Carolina Alliance for Health was also awarded the NC Public Health Association “Distinguished Group Award,” the North Carolina Prevention Partners “Coalition Excellence Award” and the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation’s “Outstanding Advocacy Award”.

The North Carolina Alliance for Health was named to the Childhood Obesity Task Force in 2008 and serves on the NC Institute of Medicine Prevention Committee.

Operations

The Alliance strives to make decisions by consensus. If consensus cannot be achieved, organizations and individuals that have completed and returned the Membership Application Form may vote. Policy committees of the Alliance are responsible for developing recommendations for policy position statements for each General Assembly Session. Policy committees also guide the development and implementation of strategies to achieve the coalition’s policy positions. Organizational committees addressing Governance, Membership and Finance work to ensure the success of the Alliance in its future policy efforts.

The Alliance currently has committees focusing on each of our priority issues. The committees meet as needed. For information on meeting times and locations, please contact Lisa Familo at the Alliance. Committee chairs are listed below:

Tobacco Policy Committee Chair:
Anne Butzen Thornhill

Obesity Prevention Policy Committee Chair:
Roxanne Loepper

The Alliance also has three organizational committees:
Goverance
Financing and Fundraising
Membership

Committees provide the primary opportunities to contribute to the development of policy positions and strategies as well as organizational structure and process. Alliance members and partners are encouraged to participate in as many committees as they have time and resources to devote, though members are expected to participate in at least one policy committee, as the organization's focus is on policy advocacy. Committees can be created as additional need arises and meet as necessary.