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Committee asks UAPB to return with data after concerns raised about arts-based tobacco-prevention subgrants
Summary
Lawmakers questioned the effectiveness and addresses of nine UAPB tobacco-prevention subgrants, prompting a motion that expunged the J2 vote and re-referred the grants for further review in June.
Representatives pressed University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff staff about the design and effectiveness of several tobacco-prevention subgrants funded by the Master Tobacco Settlement Agreement and administered through UAPB.
Representative Pilking asked whether programs such as music therapy albums and podcasts have measurable results in reducing youth tobacco or vaping rates. Ruthie Johnson, a project specialist with UAPB, said the program uses an evaluator, requires quarterly reports and annual site visits, and that subgrantees must meet goals and objectives or risk losing funding: "We do have, an evaluator with our program...Those reports are analyzed...We also conduct annual site visits, so we stay on top of our subgrantees." She offered to provide the requested outcome data to the committee.
Several members also raised concerns about missing or inconsistent grantee address information in the packet and the broader question of program effectiveness. Representative Kavanaugh moved to expunge the J2 vote and refer the item back to ALC for additional review in June; the motion passed and the committee asked UAPB to return with detailed metrics, grantee contact information and documentation of evaluator findings.
The committee will revisit J2 at a future meeting after agencies and grantees provide the requested information.
