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BUILDING PUBLIC WILL: LISTENING AND COMMUNICATING
EFFECTIVELYMonette Goodrich, Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs
Grantmakers in Health 2009 Art & Science of Health Grantmaking
June 10, 2009
Today’s Agenda
1.Introductions
2.Background on CT Health
3.Strategies to Build Public Will
4.Closing Thoughts & Additional Questions or Comments
2
INTRODUCTIONS
3
Introductions
Take as much TP as you
think you will need
4
Introductions
For each sheet, tell us something about you!
• Sheet 1 = Start with your name, title and foundation affiliation
• Sheet 2 = What do you hope to learn from this workshop?
• Sheets 3 - ? = Interesting factoid(s) about yourself
5
Introductions: Sheet 1
• Monette Goodrich Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs
• Connecticut Health Foundation
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Introductions: Sheet 2
I hope to learn even more strategies to build public will from you!
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Introductions: Sheet 3
I am named after a small town (pop. 7,300) in southwestern Missouri called Monett!
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Introductions: Sheet 4
I wore Brett Favre’s game jersey while visiting the Green Bay Packers locker room!
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BACKGROUND ON CT HEALTH
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Background on CT Health• Connecticut’s largest
independent, health philanthropy
• CT Health is a “health conversion” foundation
• Does not actively solicit donations
• Prudent investment strategy funds CT Health in perpetuity
11
Background on CT Health
• 476 grants totaling more than $38 million in 44 cities and towns throughout the state
• Priority areas: oral health, children’s mental health, racial & ethnic health disparities (REHD)
• Endowment = $89 million
• Private 501(c) 3 foundation
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Background on CT Health• Mission: To improve the
health of the people of Connecticut
• Theory of Change: Changing systems over long-term
• Brand: Fostering innovative solutions for health justice
• 10-Year Strategic Plan (2007-2017)
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STRATEGIES TO BUILD PUBLIC WILL
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How CT Health Defines “Public Will”“Public will“ is the
expression of public sentiment or opinion through a set of efforts to educate, inform, or influence a particular segment of the public about an issue with the intent of having them support or oppose actions at the programmatic, systemic, or policy level.
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Strategies to Build Public Will• Grant-making• Research• Capacity building• Convening• Raising awareness
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Why Isn’t Communications a Strategy?Communications
should not be considered a separate “strategy”– Integrated into all
strategies– It’s a means to an
end– It’s the “how” and
not the “what”
17
Strategies to Build Public Will: Grant-Making
• Documentary film• Report on African-
American health in Connecticut
18
About URU, The Right to Be, Inc., Grant
•$125,000 in 2007 to develop & disseminate documentary about REHD•$5,000 in 2009 to support National Civic Engagement Tour
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Grant Highlights
• Multiple screenings and discussions
• Leadership in Journalism Award from Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust
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About Connecticut State Conference of the NAACP Grant• $25,000 in 2003 to support the
planning process of developing a health status report
• $100,000 in 2004 to complete health status report
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Grant Highlights• News media coverage•NAACP as expert in African-American health• Helped solidify relationship with NAACP • Helped create Commission on Health Equity
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Lessons Learned
Grantee is often the best messenger because they:– Reach new
audiences– Authentic voice – Messages resonate
with community values
– Strengthen credibility
23
PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES
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Strategies to Build Public Will: Research
• Policy briefs & educational briefings
• REHD internal baseline research
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Policy Briefs & Educational Briefings
When Foundation Talks
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Policy Briefs: Based on target audience
• Decision-makers & advocates– News media is
NOT a target audience
– Web 2.0 or social media is a link to target audience
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Policy Briefs: Based on target audience
• Content: – Responsive– National
experts
• Format: – 4 to 6 pages– Messages/facts
repeated– Colorful pictures
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Policy Brief: Case Study Timeline• Feb. 4, 2009: Governor proposed eliminating health coverage for legal
immigrants and imposing additional copayments for Medicaid beneficiaries
• Feb. 19: CT Health commissioned Jack Hoadley of Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute to write two policy briefs highlighting proposed 2010-2011 budget cuts
• April 16: Met with Speaker of the House• April 21: Met with top Democratic representative on Appropriations
Committee• April 30: Policy briefs unveiled during an educational briefing featuring
Hoadley and HUSKY beneficiary Evelyn Richardson at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford
– About 50 advocates, lobbyists and legislators/staff members attended– Briefing covered in CT News Junkie.com, New Haven Independent, La Identidad Latina
and the New Haven Register– Met with top Republican senator on Appropriations Committee– Made 9 new contacts– Policy briefs contributed to development of an ad hoc legal immigrant advocacy group
29
Policy Brief: Case Study Timeline• May 1: Met with Manchester daily newspaper editorial page editor; local
bloggers linked to CT Health’s policy briefs; sent out CT Health e-news to more than 2,300 contacts
• May 7: Policy briefs distributed at 40-person and 100-person advocate meetings
• May 8: Presented research findings during monthly Managed Care Council meeting
• May 19: Op ed published in Hartford Courant• May 27: Interviewed on New Haven radio station• May 28: Met with New London daily newspaper editorial board • June 1-30: CT Health-generated stories scheduled to appear in 2 African-
American weekly newspapers; one Spanish language weekly newspaper and one Polish language monthly newspaper
• June 4: Met with New Haven daily newspaper editorial board• June 5: Interviewed on ABC affiliate’s weekly public affairs show• June 11: Scheduled to appear on NBC affiliate’s weekly public affairs show
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Lessons Learned
• “Makes the case” for a public policy change
• Provides a “news hook”
• Format resonates with target audience
• Experts are political• Integrating human
element with data and health system difficult
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REHD Internal Baseline Research
When Foundation Listens
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REHD Internal Baseline ResearchResearch Question Research Project How does the media cover REHD?
Media content analysis
What is the current public awareness and understanding of REHD?
Telephone survey & focus group discussion
Who, in Connecticut, can help building public will around REHD?
Personal interviews
How can CT Health leverage its relationships to impact REHD?
Social network mapping
What role can public policy play in decreasing REHD?
Legal analysis
Media Content Analysis
Lessons Learned• Focus on systemic causes
and solutions to REHD• Educate government
officials/politicians, academics and healthcare professionals
• Cultivate additional “messengers” in traditional and new media
• Develop messages that link to values, stories rather than data
34
Telephone Survey
Lessons LearnedChallenge to change myths around REHD:• Whites believe equal opportunity for quality health care• People of color blame the victim •All agreed REHD is poor person’s problemTarget specific groups who are likely to build public will:• Latino voters, ages 25-3• Politically moderate/independent white women, ages 25-34• Politically progressive white men, ages 21-34
Focus Groups
Lessons Learned• Increase awareness of
REHD• Messages should highlight
equal access to quality health care
• Focus on stories and values rather than data/statistics around REHD
• Difficult to measure attitude/knowledge since many think, say, feel differently about REHD/health inequities
Personal Interviews
Lessons Learned• Develop both unifying
message and secondary messages
• Coordinate distinct efforts across the state
• Develop specific actions/activities
• Build capacity of existing organizations
Social Network Mapping
• Link across state through virtual network platform
• Develop new alliances with most influence to create public will
• Support new methods of educating & communicating with partners
Lessons Learned
Legal AnalysisLessons Learned
Solutions require systems-wide changes in gov’t. infrastructure & culture:
– Resource reallocation
– Change in practice
– Attitudinal shifts
What We Learned
• Focus on systems-wide solutions to REHD problem
• Debunking myths difficult• “Equal access” to health care
resonates with multiple audiences
• Build capacity of existing REHD efforts
• Social media bridge to new audiences
• Changing government culture takes time
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES
41
Strategies to Build Public Will: Capacity Building
Health Leadership Fellows Program
42
About Health Leadership Fellows Program
• Foster next generation of REHD leaders• Year-round knowledge and skill-
building program• Entering into 6th year; more than 100
graduates• Cost approximately $200,000 annually• 80 percent of each class of 20 Fellows
is reserved for people of color
43
Impact on Rose Abréu-Sánchez
• Featured in annual report
• Program inspired graduate degree
• Strengthen advocacy skills and ability to navigate the health care system
44
Lessons Learned
• Reducing REHD requires both awareness and leadership
• Communities of color in CT have fewer leadership development opportunities
• Participants share/use knowledge of REHD within multiple networks
• Individual capacity building may have long ROI
• Communicate impact of Fellowship on individuals regularly
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES
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Strategies to Build Public Will: Convening
Public Policy
Panel on Racial & Ethnic Health
Disparities
47
About the Panel
• 12-member panel of community, faith and professional leaders
• Educated by national/local experts• Three public forums• Developed a series of specific public policy
recommendations in four areas:– Social and environmental factors– Data collection and analysis– Language barriers– Workforce diversity
48
Communicating Public Policy Recommendations:
Report
• 44-page report written and produced by foundation staff
• Included more than 58 references• Most expensive publication in history
of foundation – nearly $11 per report
49
Communicating Public Policy Recommendations: Educational Briefing
• 90-minute briefing at state capitol building
• Reaction panel: attorney general, speaker of the house, department of public health deputy commissioner, senate appropriations committee co-chair
• 60 policy-makers, advocates, grantees attended
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Communicating Public Policy Recommendations:
Earned Media
• Letter to the editor in The Hartford Courant
• 2 editorial board meetings• 4 radio interviews• 2 television segments• 7 newspaper stories
51
Communicating Public Policy Recommendations:
Ad Campaign • $32,000 ad
campaign for ethnic newspapers June-July 2005
• Tested ad images and messages
• Messages:– Center on healthy
lifestyle– “How to tips”
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Public Policy Impact: Grants• Department of Public Health to coordinate
racial/ethnic health data statewide• Capitol Region Conference of Churches and
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority to raise awareness• Lao Association and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal
Nation to develop culturally appropriate health promotion strategies
• Naugatuck Valley Project to document health care access among patients with LEP
• Hispanic Health Council to coordinate newly formed Connecticut Coalition for Medical Interpretation
53
Public Policy Impact: Research• Commissioned two reports and two
policy briefs about medical interpretation services for LEP Medicaid beneficiaries
• Commissioned Community Health Data Scan for Connecticut
• Added another website featuring charts, graphs and other health indicators related to REHD
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Lessons Learned
• Need long-term education campaign to increase awareness
• Internal report development time consuming
• Recommendations generated many successful grants & new partnerships
• Generated movement in public policy arena
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES
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Strategies to Build Public Will: Raising Awareness
• Community sponsorships
• Virtual community engagement
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Community Sponsorships
• Support nonprofit organizations’ events• Alignment with priority areas or mission• Program or promotional material
advertisement• $20,000 annual budget• Not publicly promoted; word of mouth• Foundation grantees are not eligible for
sponsorships
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Strategy Behind Community Sponsorships
• Reach new audiences• Increase awareness of
foundation & priority areas• Demonstrate support of local
community• Reinforce brand• High ROI – a lot of bang for the
buck59
Impact: Southwest Regional Mental Health Board
• $1,000 to sponsor National Depression Screening Day screenings at ten sites
• Foundation logo in multiple formats & communications channels
• News coverage of CT Health
60
Virtual Community Engagement
• $200,000 in 2009 to develop an online community strategy
• Received 30 RFQ submissions
• Invite 5-10 to submit full application & interview
• Select grantee in September 61
PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES
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CLOSING THOUGHTS
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Closing Thoughts on Building Public Will
• Building public will is a marathon
• Requires multiple partners & strategies
• Strategic communications vital in:– Raising awareness – Building relationships– Connecting people and
organizations– Attracting most
appropriate grantees– Strengthening foundation’s
credibility
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
65
Contact Information
Monette Goodrich
Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs
Connecticut Health Foundation
74B Vine Street
New Britain, CT 06001
860.224.2208 (direct line)
www.cthealth.org
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