Organization is the key to a successful community outreach effort. This promotion guide is designed to help you develop a framework for conducting your local activities, so that you can spend less time planning and more time carrying out your strategy. This guide includes material and information about:
You don’t have to be a graphic designer to produce creative, eye-catching materials. The kit includes logos, clip art, fact sheets, and other reproducibles that you can use to develop your own materials. Sample materials along with ordering information and a resource list also are included.
We need you to get on board to help promote this year’s National Child Health Day, October 1, 2001. This year’s theme, All Aboard the 2010 Express for Children with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families, is intended to raise awareness that these children and their families need coordinated systems of services in their communities. The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) has produced this promotion guide to assist you in planning activities to spread this crucial message.
Healthy People 2010, unveiled last year, called for all States and territories to develop community-based service systems for children with special health care needs and their families. MCHB, working with its partners in the private and public sectors, has identified six core goals (described on page 5), as well as specific steps, for achieving this outcome. A 10-year action plan also has been developed. We are pleased that we can use National Child Health Day to introduce this important and exciting initiative.
This year’s National Child Health Day Promotion Guide offers new and exciting ways, as well as tried and true techniques, to present the 2010 Express message. The ideas presented here can be used separately or incorporated into an existing State or local campaign. Additional materials have been provided by other organizations.
As always, we hope that you will share your thoughts on this kit. Please e-mail any comments, suggestions, or details of your planned Child Health Day events to pcampbell@hrsa.gov.
On behalf of HRSA and MCHB, we want to thank you for helping us publicize a major national effort to have in place, by 2010, universal, sustained systems of services for children with special health care needs and their families. With your help, this effort can be successful. For more information, call the MCHB Office of Communications at 301-594-4185.
Sincerely,
Peter C. van Dyck, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Administrator for Maternal and Child Health
Health Resources and Services Administration
Merle McPherson, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs
Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Under a Joint Resolution of the Congress, the President of the United States has proclaimed National Child Health Day every year since 1928. It was originally celebrated on May Day, May 1, each year until 1960, when the date was moved to the first Monday in October.
Calvin Coolidge, the first president to issue a Child Health Day Proclamation, acted in response to a plea from both the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) to proclaim the day while the resolution was still pending in Congress. On April 27, the White House referred the AFL/GFWC request to the Secretary of the Treasury for his recommendations. His response was immediate:
“The promotion of Child Health Day is a highly commendable object. The issuance of a proclamation designating a ‘Child Health Day’ would undoubtedly have influence in focusing public attention on this matter.”
On April 28,1928, President Coolidge issued the following proclamation:
WHEREAS the protection and development of the health of the children of today are fundamental necessities to the future progress and welfare of the Nation;
AND WHEREAS, the conservation and promotion of child health places upon us a grave responsibility;
AND WHEREAS, it is appropriate that a day should be set apart each year for the direction of our thoughts towards the health and well-being of our children;
NOW, therefore, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, do hereby set apart May 1 of this year as Child Health Day and do invite the people of the United States and all agencies and organizations interested in child welfare to unite upon that day in the observance of such exercises as will acquaint the people of the Nation with the fundamental necessity of a year-round program for the protection and development of the health of the Nation’s children.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Congress completed its deliberations soon thereafter and on May 18 approved its Joint Resolution that reads
Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the President of the United States is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation setting apart May 1 of each year as Child Health Day and invite all agencies and organizations interested in child welfare to be united upon that day in the observance of such exercises as will awaken the people of the Nation to the fundamental necessity of a year-round program for the protection and development of the health of the Nation’s children.
Over the years, the topics for National Child Health Day have run the gamut from prenatal care to adolescent health issues, and have included the effects of day care on child development, strategies to prevent childhood injury, and the importance of immunization. This year’s theme focuses on the need for coordinated systems of services for children with special health care needs and their families.
All Aboard the 2010 Express for Children with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families!
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“Children with special health care needs are those who have, or are at increased risk for, a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally.” |
This guide is designed to help you educate your community about the need for coordinated systems of services for children with special health care needs and their families. You can use one or all of the enclosed ideas to create an outreach effort that blankets your community with the 2010 Express National Child Health Day message.
Why promote the 2010 Express on National Child Health Day? Because Child Health Day is the first time the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) will unveil to the Nation its 10-year action plan to put in place comprehensive community-based service systems for all children with special health care needs and their families. Working with its partners in the private and public sectors, MCHB has identified six core goals for full implementation of these systems, along with the steps necessary to achieve this important outcome in every State and territory. In December, MCHB will publish a monograph, All Aboard the 2010 Express: A 10-Year Action Plan to Achieve Community-Based Service Systems for All Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families. The monograph will describe the plan in detail and outline strategies for taking action. The plan also is supported by President Bush’s New Freedom Initiative, which reinforces the importance of community-based care options for people with disabilities, including children.
On December 12-13, 2001, MCHB, and its major partners, the American Academy of Pediatrics, March of Dimes, and Family Voices, will host a national summit—All Aboard the 2010 Express: A Summit on Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs—to introduce the initiative and 10-Year Action Plan.
To create an effective community outreach program that builds on National Child Health Day, you need to repeat the basic message as many times, in as many places as possible, by as many voices as possible. This guide is intended to help you do that. Our first tip: order more posters now—call the National Maternal and Child Health Clearinghouse toll-free at 1-888-434-4MCH (4624).
The 2010 Express National Child Health Day message is simple: children with special health care needs and their families need coordinated systems of care in their communities. You can use this national message alone or localize the message, such as Washington County’s children with special health care needs and their families require coordinated care. Whatever message you choose, repeat it as often as possible.
When choosing your spokesperson(s), think about the audiences you are trying to reach and choose the most appropriate person for that audience. For example, if you’re trying to reach families, then ask a well-respected pediatrician in your community. Ask people to speak about this issue who have knowledge of and experience with it so they can speak from the heart. Ask families from Family Voices or another partner organization to speak about this issue. You can also ask a teacher who has experienced working with a child with special health care needs and feels strongly about coordinated care in the community. Get the spokespeople together in September to talk about the main messages and review speaking opportunities to get as many people out in the community speaking to as many groups as possible.
All children with special health care needs will receive coordinated, ongoing comprehensive care within a medical home.
All families of children with special health care needs will have adequate private and/or public insurance to pay for the services they need.
All children will be screened early and continuously for special health care needs.
Families of children with special health care needs will partner in decisionmaking at all levels and will be satisfied with the services they receive.
Involving members of your community in your outreach efforts is really the only way to achieve success. While a media campaign can reach a significant portion of your audience, your message often is diluted in the reporting process. Direct communication with the public will help you reach them with an “unfiltered” message. In addition, community relations can help you gain more support from local citizens by actively involving them in your project.
Use local partners to help make your outreach efforts work. You may already have traditions for Child Health Day including health fairs, education forums, curriculum activities, and the like. Think about ways to expand these activities to reach new audiences.
The following events and activities are suggestions to provide you with the opportunity to reinforce the 2010 Express National Child Health Day message on the local level. In choosing an activity, think about how your audience will receive it. Will it help you reach the goals of your outreach efforts? Think about the timing of your activity. Does it take advantage of media exposure already being given to issues related to children with special heatlh care needs either locally or nationally? Be sure you’ve considered the cost in time and money a project may require before you begin any activity. These activities can be done as part of National Child Health Day or throughout the year to promote your ongoing work to improve health for children with special health care needs.
Hold a Community Health Fair. A community health fair is a tried and true way to reach a large number of people to educate them about the need to coordinate services for children with special health care needs. This is a good opportunity to work with business and media partners to sponsor a large event in the community on National Child Health Day or the weekend before or following. Choose a day when you think you can draw the largest number of people from the community. You can offer regular health check-up services for children and adults to draw people to the health fair, but also use the opportunity to have speakers. Offer materials provided in this packet to people so they can become more aware of the need to provide coordinated services to children with special health care needs and their families. Please see the event checklist on page 12 for details about setting up this event or any other event you might choose to do.
I Hereby Declare. . . Ask your mayor or city council to issue a proclamation declaring the first Monday in October “[Your City] Child Health Day.” See the proclamation sample on page 14 for guidelines. To really be effective a proclamation should be part of a news event or special event that you and other partners attend and promote.
Go to the Doctor. Order more posters to distribute to family practice doctors, pediatricians, and obstetricians who can display them in their waiting areas and treatment rooms. Patients can read information about children with special health care needs topics while they wait. It’s a good idea to draft a letter to send to local doctors asking for their support to raise awareness about this important health issue.
Link Up. If you don’t have a Web site, you can still get plenty of cyberspace mileage by networking with related organizations, agencies, and companies. Ask health, education, and child-oriented groups and businesses to include a paragraph about Child Health Day and children with special health care needs issues on their site. Supply them with logos from your organization to include on their site. If you do have a Web presence, you can use the same networking techniques to increase traffic. Just ask those same organizations and companies to link to your site, and in return, you can offer to provide a link to them.
In September, send out a special e-mail about National Child Health Day to everyone on your system in order to promote the message. Also, ask your employees to add to the bottom of each e-mail they send in October a message such as: “Visit our Web site for more information about All Aboard the 2010 Express for Children With Special Health Care Needs and Their Families.”
Post Those Posters. Put posters in the lobbies of day care centers, shopping malls, public libraries, churches, the county courthouse, and health clinics. Include your organization’s phone number or your State’s toll-free maternal and child health hotline phone number so that people can get additional information.
Put It In the Bag. Ask local book, toy, drug, food, and maternity stores to include your organization’s children with special health care needs materials in shopping bags or to display copies at the cash register. You also can design a flier with information on children with special health care needs and ask stores to display it by their cash registers or on their entrance and exit doors. And ask these merchants to include your message on their next print run of shopping bags.
Speak to the Community. Ask local civic, business, and professional associations if you can speak at a meeting about what your organization is doing in the community regarding children with special health care needs and their families. Bring multiple copies of your educational materials to distribute. Ask attendees to fill out a sign-up sheet to receive more information. Follow up with any local businesspeople in attendance about establishing a partnership with your organization or to display posters at their businesses.
Start a Network of Faith. All faith congregations include families with children with special health care needs. Write a brief article on your organization’s outreach activities for churches, synagogues, and other religious organizations to include in their newsletters and bulletins. Ask local clergy to include information on children with special health care needs during their services the week before National Child Health Day. Provide them with copies of your materials to distribute to the congregation and give them articles for their newsletters.
Take ’Em Out to the Ballgame. Athletic events provide a great opportunity to distribute information about care for children with special health care needs, whether it’s a professional, amateur, college, high school, or community sporting event. Identify a sporting event either the day of, or in the week leading up to, National Child Health Day. Set up a table at the entrance gate and pass out information. Ask the game announcer to mention National Child Health Day during halftime or timeouts. You also can ask sports organizations and facilities to put the 2010 Express message in the program or on the scoreboard.
Recruit Flagship Stations. Establishing “flagship media” can ensure that your Child Health Day message is being promoted by at least one television and/or radio station in the community. When an outlet signs up as a flagship for your media effort, it normally agrees to report regularly on your activities and get involved in community relations for the effort. Why would a station want to be a flagship? Most media devote some airtime or advertisement space to public service, so they are constantly on the lookout for important community projects that they can promote. If an issue has widespread public support, media, particularly radio and television, like to be seen as supporters too. In order to avoid alienating other stations in your area, it’s important that you limit your exclusive “flagship” relationship to feature news. This way whenever you have a truly hard news story, all of the media in town can have equal access to it. Contact the public affairs person at the station to inquire about establishing a partnership
An effective way to leverage resources and extend the impact of your communications efforts is to form partnerships. Businesses, associations, coalitions of community groups, and government offices—all may have things to contribute that will enhance the effectiveness of your own activities. The important thing is to approach partnership-building as a win-win situation.
Look for potential partners that have something to gain from an alliance with you—community recognition, the opportunity to work with your other partners, or the idea of contributing to a healthier community can all be powerful incentives for a like-minded partner.
This simple, systematic approach should yield results:
Determine Your Needs. Identify what will help you get the
job done most effectively: mailing lists, computer equipment, advertising
and promotion, in-kind help?
Make a List of Possible Partners. List businesses and other
kinds of groups that can provide or help you obtain what you need. Likely
prospects could include: hospitals, manufacturers or retailers of children’s
products, businesses that cater to children, and local advertising agencies.
Don’t forget trade and professional associations or community coalitions
that might have small budgets but can offer you great outreach and contacts.
Additional examples include libraries, schools, movie theaters, arts organizations,
sports organizations, and the media.
Qualify Your Prospects. Concentrate your efforts on those who are most likely to give you a “yes.” Consider:
Ownership. Your best prospects are companies with local ownership, local franchises, or national organizations where charitable and/or media decisions are made at local branches or outlets.
Connections. If you have a board member or other strong contact at a company, see if that person would be willing to contact the marketing department for you.
History. Has the group gotten involved with National Child Health Day or similar activities or given resources in the past?
Reciprocity. Is there a way that the organization can benefit from working on children’s health issues with you?
Identify Contacts. Take the time to locate someone who can provide an introduction to the most effective contact within the organization. If that’s not possible, these tips will help you prepare a more compelling presentation:
Find Out Who to Talk to. Some companies make this kind of decision through their corporate contributions or community investment departments; others will go through their advertising departments. Web sites often give this information. If not, call and ask. Get the name (spelled correctly), title, and address of a real person.
Learn as Much as You Can About the Organization. Find out what other partnerships or contributions the organization has been involved with, past experience with children’s issues, likely areas of interest in your project, and what they might hope to gain from an alliance with you.
Make Your Pitch. Unless you’ve been told a phone call or personal meeting is preferable, make your contact in writing. Include:
Attach any additional supporting or backup material than
can help make your case such as a brochure, annual report, or event plan.
Follow Up. Give your letter a week to arrive, and then make the phone call. Be prepared to mail or fax your pitch again, possibly to a different person. Ask for a meeting where you can make your pitch face-to-face. When you meet with the prospective partner:
Come to an Agreement. Work with the partners to specify exactly
what each of you can expect from each other and when.
Maintain the Relationship. Working together will likely increase the partner’s interest in your organization. Keep the partnership going by providing feedback on the success of your mutual activities and involving the partners in future events. Thank your partners every time you have the opportunity—publicly and in a thank-you letter on your letterhead.
Planning an event can be a lot of fun if you’re prepared and organized. This checklist outlines the steps you can take to plan an event for National Child Health Day, October 1, 2001. Use this checklist to guide you through the planning process and to make sure you don’t forget anything.
* Indicates that this step should be continued throughout the planning process.
Set up a planning committee
and meet with them regularly. *
Develop goals; what do you
want to accomplish?
Identify your target audiences;
who do you want to attend?
Determine the size and atmosphere for the event.
Develop a preliminary budget.
Recruit and secure sponsors,
if necessary.
Select location and plan
logistics (room setup, food, audiovisual equipment, etc.). *
Research
the names and addresses of individuals and organizations you would like
to invite.
Send out a “Save the Date” notice via mail, e-mail, or fax.
Finalize
the budget.
Determine
what materials and outside services you will need and begin to contract
with outside vendors. Don’t forget food and beverages; room setup, including
tables and chairs; signs and banners; decorations, including flowers; entertainment;
and attendee giveaways.
Begin
developing your materials.
Begin
setting the agenda.
Write
and mail letters to recruit partners; include project background.
Call potential
partners to seek commitments.
Touch base with sponsors to update them on your progress. *
Three Weeks Before the Event
Finalize
and reproduce materials (except for the agenda and participants list, which
should be printed in the final week before the event).
Mail out
invitations.
Write
to speakers to ask their participation.
Compile
a list of media outlets that may be interested in covering your event.
Make a
list of materials to be taken to the location and begin packaging them.
Contact speakers to discuss their presentations and see it they need additional information and support.
One Week Before the Event
Finalize the agenda and have
it printed.
Make staff assignments (including
registration staff, note taker, audiovisual coordinator, and speaker greeter)
and explain duties to all staff members.
Verify details with venue;
confirm audiovisual needs; send venue your room layout and any special instructions.
Continue calling reporters
to encourage attendance.
Touch base with speakers
to make sure that they have the correct date and location of the event,
as well as the time they are expected to speak.
Give speakers the name of
a contact person who will greet them upon arrival.
Assemble materials for distribution
to participants; send them to the venue.
Print nametags, if applicable.
Double check to make sure
that all materials arrived at the venue.
Pack an “emergency kit” with any miscellaneous materials you may need (tape, scissors, stapler, pens, pencils, paper, phone numbers of speakers, etc.).
Arrive early and check that
the location is set up correctly and that audiovisual materials are available
as requested. Check all microphones, projectors, audio equipment, and computer
connections.
Check the registration area. Make sure nametags and supplies are plentiful. Plan to have staff members at registration.
Make sure staff are in correct locations and that all areas are covered
for the entire event.
Allow time for run-throughs if requested by your speakers or needed by
entertainers.
Make sure that signs directing people to the event are posted.
Send thank-you letters to
sponsors.
Send thank-you letters to
speakers.
Contact organizations that attended the event to discuss potential collaboration.
Below is a sample Child Health Day proclamation based on the original one issued by President Calvin Coolidge in 1928. Use it as a guide in developing a Child Health Day proclamation that can be issued by your State or local government and addresses the needs of children with special health care needs and their families.
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WHEREAS the protection and development of the health of children today are fundamental necessities to the future progress and welfare of [your community or State]; WHEREAS the conservation and promotion of child health places upon us a grave responsibility; WHEREAS it is appropriate that a day should be set apart each year for the direction of our thoughts towards the health and well-being of our children; WHEREAS [name of your organization or the State maternal and child health program], through its unique community-driven approach to meeting the needs of children with special health care needs and their families, has made it considerably easier for parents to get their children the care they need today to ensure their children a better tomorrow; NOW, THEREFORE, I, [name of mayor, governor or other issuer], do hereby proclaim the first Monday in October to be [your community or State] Child Health Day and urge our citizens and all agencies and organizations interested in the needs of children with special health care needs and their families to unite upon that day in the observance of such exercises as will acquaint the people of [your community or State] with the fundamental necessity of a year-round program for the protection and development of the health of [your community or State]’s children. |
Your local news media offer endless opportunities to communicate the All Aboard the 2010 Express for Children with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families message to the public. Developing solid relationships now with producers and reporters is key to landing stories later that accurately and poignantly portray children with special health care needs and their families message.
Here are some suggestions that can help bring you success.
This spokesperson should act as a contact when and if reporters respond to your news releases.
Make sure your spokesperson is articulate, well-informed, polite, and interesting when speaking.
Know your facts and stick to them.
- If you don’t know the answer to a question, admit it. Tell the reporter you’ll find the answer and call him or her back. Always call back before the reporter’s deadline.
Feel free to make friends with reporters, but always honor their professionalism first. Never take advantage of their friendship by asking them to write a story as a “favor.”
- Treat all members of the media with respect and interest.
- If you say you’ll get back to a reporter by a certain time, always call back, even if it is to say you couldn’t get the necessary information.
- Do not be a pest. Try to ensure that your first contact with a reporter is about something that is truly newsworthy.
- Always remember to thank reporters when they run a story on your organization or quote you in an article.
When being interviewed, avoid saying “no comment.” You can explain that confidentiality issues exist or refer to another agency, if appropriate.
- Avoid telling reporters anything you don’t want to see in print the next day, no matter how friendly the reporter may seem. Always avoid talking “off the record.”
Editors, producers, and reporters are always looking for fresh ideas for news and feature stories. Think how to tell a story that will help readers identify with the story and keep its message alive in their minds.
Here are a Few Ideas to Get Your Creative Juices FlowingCaring for Special Kids. Family, parenting, and women’s issue reporters can discuss what to look for when selecting a medical home for children with special health care needs. Community Spirit. Profile local kids with special health care needs who are raising money for the community and raising awareness about children with special health care needs and their families. Batter Up. Pitch sports and lifestyle reporters a story about special health care needs children in your community who play on a sports team with children without special health care needs. Feature stories about the kids and their coaches. If possible, tie in a professional sports player or coach. |
People in the maternal and child health field are already aware of the importance of services for children with special health care needs. For those, such as editors, who are unfamiliar with the issue, you’ll need some selling skills to make them realize its importance.
In making your pitch, don’t just ask for “a story about the importance of children with special health care needs.” Instead, present editors and reporters with vivid ideas based on what is actually happening in your community. See the sidebar for some techniques to help them see what you see in the story:
Find an angle that other media in your community have not touched. Think the story through to its logical conclusion, and then take it a step or two farther. Give the reporter an angle that he or she has never thought of.
It’s essential in television, and it enriches a print or radio feature as well. Build your story around strong images: a child receiving physical therapy; a child with physical challenges playing his heart out in a ballgame, children on a playground; a parent; a teacher working with a child at school.
The facts about children with special health care needs are important and compelling, but they’ll be much more compelling when real people talk about how the issue has affected them. Be sure the people agree before you give their names to the media.
Even though it’s not breaking news, your feature idea will be more interesting to editors and readers if you can peg it to something that’s going on in your city or nationally. By tying your story to other things that are happening, you also reinforce your message.
Make headlines bold instead of all caps.
List a contact person and his or her office phone number
in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
Type “FOR RELEASE [date]” in the upper left-hand corner
of the page.
For news releases issued in advance of breaking news,
type “EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE [date, time]” in the upper left-hand corner
of the page.
If longer than one page, type “-more-” at the bottom
of every page.
Type “30” or “###” at the end of the final page.
Put a shortened title and page number in the upper-right hand corner of the second page and on.
Use the inverted pyramid writing style (illustrated above),
stating facts in descending order of importance.
Write in the active voice and use short sentences and
paragraphs.
Try to keep it to one page.
If possible, follow Associated Press Stylebook rules.
Every time you start a new topic, start a new paragraph.
Proofread your release.
First Paragraph (also known as the Lead) Attributes:
Answers ‘what is news’ using the five W’s (Who, What,
When, Where, and Why).
“Hooks” the reporter into reading the rest of your release
by isolating the most interesting aspect of your subject.
Is direct and short and doesn’t include the name of an unknown unless it is written as a feature story.
Second Paragraph Attributes:
Amplifies the lead, expanding on the information provided
in the lead.
Answers anticipated questions that you hint at in the
lead.
Reveals the name of the organization issuing the news release.
Third Paragraph Attributes:
Includes a quote from an organization representative or third party. This quote endorses the news release message.
The following paragraphs provide more detail to the reader
in descending order of importance. Therefore, don’t put information in the
last paragraph that you want to get used. Editors may only read the first
few paragraphs.
The final paragraph should include background information about your organization (major campaigns, membership size, nonprofit status, etc.).
Produce the news release on your organization’s letterhead and send it out to local reporters who cover childhood-related issues. Be sure to place a follow-up call to those reporters and ask them if they would like additional information.
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[Date] Dear : National Child Health Day is October 1, and the theme is All Aboard the 2010 Express for Children with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families. When you’re choosing stories for October, will this topic be important to you? Is it important to your [readers/listeners/viewers]? If you think that the health of children with special health care needs in America is a given, you don’t have the whole story. Consider the following statistics: [Use statistics that are specific to your community or issues that you work on.] · xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. · xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. · xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. · xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. How can we provide better care to children with special health care needs and their families? [Describe your organization’s current projects related to children with special health care needs and/or activities planned especially for Child Health Day. Provide information on how these projects/activities impact the health of children in your community.] [Name of organization] has several spokespeople available to talk with you about children with special health care needs in our community. We may also be able to introduce you to some of the families who have benefited from [name of your organization]’s services, including [briefly describe one or two family stories]. Please give me a call if you would like more information or want to set up an interview. I hope that you will help spread the word about the importance of coordinated service systems for children with special health care needs. Sincerely, [name, title] [organization] [phone number] |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:[Name] [Date] [Phone number] [Your Organization] Participates in National Child Health Day with [Your Event] [YOUR CITY, State]—To raise awareness about the importance of community-based service systems for children with special health care needs, [your organization] will sponsor [your event] on Monday, October 1 at [time] at [place]. [Your event] is part of [your city or State]’s celebration of National Child Health Day, the theme of which is All Aboard the 2010 Express for Children with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families. [Add a paragraph about your event or activity. Include what will happen at the event, notable participants, and how you hope to impact the health of young children in your community.] “Children with special health care needs require consumer-driven, family-centered, and strength-based models of care,” said [your spokesperson, title]. “By holding [your event], we hope to bring issues related to children with special health care needs and their families such as [briefly describe two or three issues related to the event and/or your organizations work] to the attention of our community.” [Add a paragraph providing statistics that emphasize the importance of addressing the issues described in the previous paragraph.] “Parents, educators, doctors, therapists—basically anyone who spends time with children with special health care needs—need to know what they can do now to improve children’s lives, so that those children can look forward to a healthier and brighter future,” said [last name of your spokesperson]. [Add a paragraph about your organization: what you do, where you do it, how long you’ve been operating, primary supporters or partners.] National Child Health Day is an annual observance that dates back to 1928. Celebrated on the first Monday in October, it is intended to focus the attention of the Nation on issues related to children’s development and well-being. In previous years, Child Health Day has focused on substance abuse, immunizations, and early childhood. For more information on National Child Health Day call the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau at 301-594-4185. To receive information on services available for children with special health care needs in [your city or State] call 1-800-311-2229. To learn more about [your event] or becoming involved with [your organization] call [name, phone number]. ### |
There are many tools that can help you gain and maintain positive media coverage. Here are some that you can add to your communications arsenal:
Put it on the Calendar. If you plan an event, make sure you post it on the community calendar. These calendars usually run free on local television channels. Don’t forget to let your newspaper’s calendar editor know too.
Write a Letter. Keep an eye on the stories in the local newspaper. If you see an article that relates to children’s health, write a letter to the editor that highlights your point of view on the issue.
Give Your Opinion. Often a letter to the editor isn’t long enough to relay the importance of your message. You can write an op-ed (opposite the editorial page) that uses holidays, current events, and community activities as a “hook” for a longer editorial piece about your organization’s activities. Child Health Day offers an excellent opportunity to write an op-ed about children with special needs and their families in your community, and what your organization does.
Ask for a Meeting with Editors. Newspapers make their
editorial decisions through a team of writers and editors known as the editorial
board. You can help educate the editorial board of your local newspapers
about your organization and the needs of children with special health care needs
by participating in one of their meetings. To set up a meeting, contact the
editorial department by letter, then follow up by phone. When you attend the
meeting, bring along one or two people whom you believe can best convey your
message. Also bring information packets for each member of the board.
Keep your message simple and direct. Make sure the members know exactly what
you think they should write about the special health care needs of children
on the editorial page of their paper.
Give Them Something to Talk About. Radio and television talk shows
offer a unique opportunity to discuss child health issues. Unlike taped news
stories that use only pieces of an interview, talk shows afford you the opportunity
to talk about an issue at length. If you get the chance to appear on a radio
or television talk show, be prepared. Just as you are able to discuss your issue
more thoroughly, the host also has an opportunity to ask more in-depth questions.
And even if the host isn’t tough on you, many shows allow listeners or viewers
to ask questions and they’re often the toughest of all.
Show Off Your Wares. Enclosing a mug, T-shirt or magnet with your organization’s logo on it is one way to get a reporter’s attention. If you have “goodies” with your project name and/or logo on them, try to think of interesting ways to use them in your 2010 Express media relations activities. For example, you could send coffee mugs to news anchors at your local TV stations—they just might use them on the air!
Many of the materials in this promotion guide were adapted or reprinted from the following sources:
Making Health Communications Programs Work: A Planner’s Guide, Office of Cancer Communications, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 1992.
MacEachern, Diane, Enough is Enough! The Hellraiser’s Guide to Community Activism, Avon Books, 1994.
Media directories are available at most libraries. Your partners or other organizations that you frequently work with may also have copies. The most popular directories are Bacon’s Media Directories, Gale’s Directory of Publications, and News Media Yellow Book, all of which are national in scope. Call your local chamber of commerce or press club for information on media directories for your city or State.
Remember, whatever printed source you use, special sections and programs are likely to change, people in the media are likely to move around, and the information reported in the latest annual directory may, in fact, already be dated by the time it is published. To ensure accuracy, a phone call is the best source for up-to-the-minute information.