Who We Are
The NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF) was created by the General Assembly as one of three entities to invest North Carolina's portion of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. HWTF receives one-fourth of the state's tobacco settlement funds, which are paid in annual installments over a 25 year period.
By statute, the Trust Fund must comprise of persons involved in public health, the operation of healthcare delivery systems, healthcare practice, health research, tobacco-related health care issues, health promotion and disease prevention, health policy trends, health care for underserved populations, and child health care. The governor, president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives have the authority to appoint six members each. The original 18 members of the HWTF Commission were appointed in 2001, with Lt. Governor Bev Perdue elected as chair.
HWTF funds the following initiatives to assist North Carolina in becoming the healthiest state in the nation:
- Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation
- Obesity Prevention
- Eliminating Health Disparities
- Prescription Assistance