Fund Raising for Evidenced-Based Prevention: Cross-National Perspectives

The Society for Prevention Research envisions a wellness-oriented society in which evidenced-based programs, practices and policies are continuously applied to improve health, well-being and positive human development. In recent decades the range of evidenced-based prevention programs and policy options has rapidly expanded. Although, there has been some success in encouraging an increase in prevention investment, there is an overall lack of commitment to adequately funding evidenced-based universal or selective prevention. This roundtable will examine work in different countries aimed at leveraging an increased investment for comprehensive and coordinated prevention systems. The roundtable will examine efforts currently being made in the USA, UK, Australia and India to change funding systems to enable investment for the large-scale dissemination of prevention policies, programs, and practices. The first discussant will provide a US perspective of prevention funding in the USA and different initiatives to modify funding systems. One example is the recent legalization of recreational marijuana Washington State. Under the Washington State system a 25% excise tax is levied from producer to processer, processer to retailer, and retailer to customer with dedicated funding for a state-wide monitoring system and evidence based prevention for youth. The second discussant will examine developments in the UK. She will focus on work being conducted with local authorities and health bodies to review investments in children's services and change funding mechanisms to promote evidence-based prevention and science-based innovation. The third discussant will provide an overview of the funding of prevention in Australia. Advocacy efforts in Australia in the 1980s led to a state tobacco sales levy that was used to initiate the world’s first health promotion foundation. Since that time the use of taxation and levies has been controversial. The discussant will provide an overview and range of Australia state, national and local efforts to increase prevention investment. The fourth discussant will consider the work of foundations to use funds to leverage systems change to promote funding of evidence based prevention investments.  Finally the fifth discussant will bring a perspective from India and will overview the challenges and prospects for increasing prevention investment in the developing world. This international roundtable will provide opportunities to discuss and explore funding mechanisms that promote evidence based prevention science.