S2AY Network Administrative Manual

Origination Date: October 20, 2015

Reviewed January 26, 2016

COMMUNICATION PLAN

Section I: Risk Communication

The Agency’s Risk Communication Plan is activated when the Agency is experiencing a crisis situation. A crisis is any event that triggers a level of public interest and media inquiry that requires a significant increase in staffing and/or resources to make a reasonable media response.

Crises include such things as disease outreaks, disasters and other health matters. Crises also may include fires, breakdowns in communications, disruption in services and even rumors.

The Risk Communication Plan is housed in the Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan.

Section II: Non-Emergent Communication Plan

This planis for general, non-emergent communication with the public regarding Agency programs and services, regulatory and policy activities, role in the community and the value the Agency delivers to the community. Examples of non-emergent communication include:

  • Obtaining public cooperation with disease control or surveillance efforts
  • Persuading more residents to adopt positive health behaviors (eat healthy, quit smoking, get immunized, avoid pollutants)
  • Improving partnerships with health care professionals and other key groups (restaurants, public safety departments, real estate developers, neighboring LHDs)
  • Building useful ongoing links with news media and other information sources (religious leaders, ethnic voices, nonprofit organizations).

In this plan, you will find procedures for:

  • Developing Public Communication Materials/Messages/Programs
  • Approval and Dissemination of Public Communication Materials
  • Responding to Media requests

Developing Public Communication Materials/Messages/Programs

Simply Put: A Guide to Creating Easy to Understand Materials is available as a resource to staff when developing messages and materials. This guide states that, “Communicating a broad range of health messages to a wide variety of audiences can be challenging. Differences among

audiences make it necessary to avoid the one-size fits-all mindset when developing

effective health communication materials. Cultural and literacy skills are two important factors, among others, to consider when designing health communication materials that will capture the

target population’s attention.” The planned approach to the development of public communication materials will consider the recommendations of the Simply Put guide, depending on the complexity of the messaging. This guide can be found at:

If materials are originated by CDC, NYSDOH, or other reputable sources, it is assumed that the below steps have been completed. If materials are generated by the local health department, the following guidelines will be implemented as appropriate.

  1. Identify the target population and define the key health problem(s) or interest(s) utilizing the most current topic related data.
  2. Engage with the target population – determine what their needs, beliefs/values and interests are, and their level of knowledge of the identified health topic.
  3. Coordinate messaging with partners as appropriate. Consider the following:
  • Choose organizations, agencies and individuals that can reach and influence your target audience
  • Involve partners you want to work with as early as possible in the development of messages/materials/programs.
  • Allow partners to personalize and adapt program materials to fit their situations and give them a feeling of ownership (but don’t let them stray “off strategy/topic”).
  • Remember to provide moral support, frequent thank you’s, letters of appreciation, etc.
  1. Determine the best way to communicate messages to the audience (i.e. print, audio, video).
  2. Design a draft of the material, keeping in mind health literacy factors:

a.Using simple drawing and avoiding unnecessary details may be more useful among disparate audiences, especially mixed cultural groups.

b.If people are shown in visuals, make them of the same racial or ethnic group as the target population. Select images that are familiar to the target population.

c.For materials designed for diverse audiences, show people from a variety of ethnic, racial and age groups.

d.Use terms that the target population uses and/or is comfortable with. Local groups that work regularly with the target population can give you valuable insight. Seek advice. Local groups can also recruit participants for surveys or focus group testing and help gain trust of the target population.

e.Provide resources for those who wish to learn more.

  1. Test for readability level (can be tested through Microsoft Word). Readability tests are only one useful tool for assessing readability. Pre-testing materials is the best method.
  1. To test with Microsoft Word:
  • Click the Microsoft Office Button
  • Click Word Options
  • Click Proofing
  • Make sure Check grammar with spelling is checked
  • Under When Correcting Grammar in Word, select the Show Readability Statistics checkbox
  1. Upon completion of the draft, click on the Check Spelling & Grammar button and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level results will show. The lower the grade level, the easier it is to understand the document. For most documents, you want the grade level to be 6 or lower.
  1. Pretest materials with target population.
  2. Revise draft according to feedback from the audience.
  3. Create an evaluation method to measure satisfaction and understanding when appropriate, i.e. for presentations.

Approval and Dissemination of Public Communications

  1. The Public Health Director/designee will approve outgoing messages and methods of communication. These may include, but are not limited to, press releases, public service announcements, flyers, email health flashes, letters, information for the health department website, social media, flyers, fact sheets, staff/community partner talking points and brochures/pamphlets, at community partner meetings and at school/community presentations. See attached for Common Ways to Disseminate Messages.
  2. All outgoing materials should comply with the Agency’s Branding Policy.
  3. Educational materials should be reviewed, dated, and updated on an annual basis, as appropriate.
  4. When the materials have been approved, the PIO/designee is responsible for releasing the materials to the proper media outlets.
  5. To promote the dissemination of consistent and unified public health messages that are accurate and appropriate, the PIO/designee will inform/coordinate with community partners through email messaging, faxes and/or as directed by the Public Health Director.
  6. The PIO or designated individuals will update a list of community partners and media contact annually. Insert location of County’s Communication Directory here.
  7. Decide how to distribute the materials to the audience (i.e. mail, brochure, display, web page). See Appendix A, Common Ways to Disseminate Messages.
  8. Distribute materials.

PROCEDURE for Responding to Media Inquiries

  1. All interactions with the media should be reported in a timely manner to the Public Health Director/designee, and will not speak on behalf of the Department unless so directed by the Public Health Director/designee.
  1. If contacted by a reporter, the staff member will take a message with the pertinent information and relay it to the Public Health Director/designee who will then direct the information to the appropriate staff person to respond. Information gathered will include: name of reporter, media outlet, nature of request, telephone number and deadline, if available.
  2. Occasionally, journalists are met at a social or non-work related function. If a staff member meets or speaks with a reporter under these circumstances, staff will not discuss Public Health business.
  3. Staff members will refer media to the Public Health Director/designee If a staff member becomes aware that a media outlet is interested in or is pursuing/working on a story related to the Health Department, the staff member will contact the Public Health Director/designee in a timely manner.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Special Populations:

In all messaging, attention will be given to “special populations.” These include the elderly, migrants, refugees, immigrants, Amish, Mennonite, Native Americans, the uninsured, non-English speaking, the homeless, and other special populations. Messages will be tailored to meet the cultural, literacy, and language needs of these specific populations.

Public Information Officer:

The Public Information Officer (PIO) is charged with maintaining media relationships; creating appropriate, effective public health messages; and managing other communication activities.

PIO responsibilities may include:

  • Maintaining contacts – newspapers, radio stations, and regional television stations.
  • Maintaining updated agency information regarding services provided.
  • Maintaining communication directory with local, regional and State lists of contacts for communication.
  • Gathering, verifying, coordinating and disseminating information related to an event in order to provide timely and accurate information to the public.
  • Monitoring media reports regarding accuracy and provide follow-up information, as needed.
  • Providing outreach to public partners and stakeholders.

Designated Public Health PIOs

County / Primary PIO / Secondary PIO
Chemung / Robert Page / Karen Miner
Livingston / Jennifer Rodriguez / Lisa Beardsley
Ontario / Kate Ott / Mary Beer
Schuyler / Jill Wendela / Janel Walker
Seneca / Vickie Swinehart / Kerry VanAuken
Steuben / Lorelei Wagner / Vicki Fuerst
Wayne / Ryan Mulhern / Lisa O’Dell
Yates / Kathy Swarthout / Ginny Colf

REFERENCES:

  • Communications Planning:
  • Simply Put: A Guide to Creating Easy To Understand Materials
  • Branding:

and

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S2AY Network Administrative Manual

Origination Date: October 20, 2015

Reviewed January 26, 2016

Appendix A

Common Ways to Disseminate Messages

Type / Pros / Cons
Media
Television / Reaches broad audience
Audiovisual impact / Expensive to air
Expensive to produce
Short amount of time to deliver message
Radio / Expensieve but cheaper than television
Narrower target
Can br produced quickly / Audio impact only
Narrow reach
Print Ads / Reaches very specific audience
Short lead time, immediate impact / Very short life span
Often misses younger and lower socio-economic demographic
Billboards / Can reinforce messages also placed elsewhere
Can repeatedly expose commuters to message / Limited message space
Difficult to target narrowly
Stories in print or broadcast media / Often free
Can achieve good reach
Cedibility with readers/viewers
Can be particularly helpful for reaching policy and decision makers, who are often in tune to news media / Limits on th extent to which you can control the message as you may not be writing the story
PSAs / Less expensive than print space or air time
Can provide copy for radio announcers to read
Print PSAs are inexpensive to produce / No control over if and when your message will air, resulting in uncertainty if it will reach target audience
Points of Interaction
Placing a message near where people will be making decisions about health / Exposes audiences when they are well positioned to act on your behalf / Limited space for a message
Sometimes difficult to gain access to the point of interaction
Movie Trailer/Slides
Video and/or still photos shown before a movie begins / Targets heavy movie goers (including hard to reach teens)
Advertising trailers can have high impact (audio and visual on a large screen) / Production and placement of trailers can be expensive
Slides before movies may not reach large audience
Print Materials
Brochures, posters, newsletters, paycheck stuffers and flyers / Can be inexpensive
Longer life
Some types support detailed messages / Not an “interruption” medium, so recipients must want to be reached
Needs to be disseminated
Online
Websites – many programs build sites; some sites are aimed at specific audiences / Can be relatively inexpensive
Information always available to those who seek it
Can be updated quickly
Unlimited message area
Can promote your issue/message through partners’ websites too / Must use promotional efforts to attract traffic to site
Maintenance and monitoring required
May limit audience and miss certain demographic or socioeconomic groups

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