Today’s Agenda

1. 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

2. Today’s Agenda Introductions Background on CT Health Strategies to Build Public Will Closing Thoughts & Additional Questions or Comments

3. INTRODUCTIONS

4. Introductions Take as much TP as you think you will need

5. 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

6. Introductions: Sheet 1 • Monette Goodrich Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs • Connecticut Health Foundation

7. Introductions: Sheet 2 I hope to learn even more strategies to build public will from you!

8. Introductions: Sheet 3 I am named after a small town (pop. 7,300) in southwestern Missouri called Monett!

9. Introductions: Sheet 4 I wore Brett Favre’s game jersey while visiting the Green Bay Packers locker room!

10. BACKGROUND ON CT HEALTH

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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)

14. STRATEGIES TO BUILD PUBLIC WILL

15. 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.

16. Strategies to Build Public Will • Grant-making • Research • Capacity building • Convening • Raising awareness

17. 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”

18. Strategies to Build Public Will: Grant-Making • Documentary film • Report on African-American health in Connecticut

19. 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

20. Grant Highlights • Multiple screenings and discussions • Leadership in Journalism Award from Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust

21. 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

22. Grant Highlights News media coverage NAACP as expert in African-American health Helped solidify relationship with NAACP Helped create Commission on Health Equity

23. Lessons Learned Grantee is often the best messenger because they: • Reach new audiences • Authentic voice • Messages resonate with community values • Strengthen credibility

24. PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES

25. Strategies to Build Public Will: Research • Policy briefs & educational briefings • REHD internal baseline research

26. Policy Briefs & Educational Briefings When Foundation Talks

27. 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

28. Policy Briefs: Based on target audience • Content: • Responsive • National experts • Format: • 4 to 6 pages • Messages/facts repeated • Colorful pictures

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. REHD Internal Baseline Research When Foundation Listens

33. REHD Internal Baseline Research

34. 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

35. Telephone Survey Lessons Learned • Challenge 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 problem • Target 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

36. 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

37. 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

38. Social Network Mapping Lessons Learned • 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

39. Legal Analysis Lessons Learned Solutions require systems-wide changes in gov’t. infrastructure & culture: Resource reallocation Change in practice Attitudinal shifts

40. 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

41. PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES

42. Strategies to Build Public Will: Capacity Building Health Leadership Fellows Program

43. 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

44. Impact on Rose Abréu-Sánchez • Featured in annual report • Program inspired graduate degree • Strengthen advocacy skills and ability to navigate the health care system

45. 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

46. PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES

47. Strategies to Build Public Will: Convening Public Policy Panel on Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities

48. 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

49. 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

50. 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