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

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INTRODUCTIONS

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Introductions

Take as much TP as you

think you will need

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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

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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

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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”

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Strategies to Build Public Will: Grant-Making

• Documentary film• Report on African-

American health in Connecticut

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Strategies to Build Public Will: Capacity Building

Health Leadership Fellows Program

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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

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Impact on Rose Abréu-Sánchez

• Featured in annual report

• Program inspired graduate degree

• Strengthen advocacy skills and ability to navigate the health care system

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?

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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)

monette@cthealth.org

www.cthealth.org

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