How To Shape Public Debates and Advance Health Policy

1. How To Shape Public Debates and Advance Health Policy Thomas Workman, Ph.D. Principal Communications Researcher & Evaluator American Institutes for Research Higher Education Team Lead, National Center for Safe and Supportive Learning Environments This product was supported by Florida Department of Children and Families Substance Abuse and Mental Health Program Office funding

2. Keys to Shaping Public Debates Beliefs are shaped by DATA and NARRATIVE; both should be tools in your arsenal. MIX your media; messages must come from MULTIPLE SOURCES. Focus on SALIENT AUDIENCE INTERESTS, even if they are different from your own. Remember the LAW OF THE FEW; use your KEY INFLUENCERS. SHOW more than you TELL.

3. Fidelity story: We want to address potential threats to what we have Alarm story: We have a problem CHANGE CYCLE Results story: Change is occurring, policy benefits seen Action story: Here’s the policy; let’s GO Involvement story: We’re planning change

4. Making the Link: Building an Argument for Change • Clearly identify the environmental factor. • Focus on the factor, not the people involved. • Be careful not to vilify: The factor itself is not evil. • Identify the impact of the factor on behavior. • The factor makes it easier to do. • The factor sets a norm about acceptable behavior. • The factor detaches meaningful consequence. • Identify the impact of the unwanted behavior. • Identify the mechanism that changes the factor.

5. Step 1: Identify the Environmental Factors linked to Behavioral Outcomes • What is encouraging or enabling unwanted behavior in your community? • START WITH THE DATA: Tie a SPECIFIC behavior to a SPECIFIC factor. • Assaults/drunken behavior at concerts • High-risk drinking/underage drinking on weekends • Marijuana use in certain neighborhood or public space.

6. What can we show? • DATA. • Mapping assaults, calls for service, vandalism to addresses/locations. • Using self-report data to build a case about a place/space. • IMAGES. • Photo/video of a party out of control, an illegal sale, service to intoxicated, intoxicated behavior

7. Graphic Information Systems “Mapping” crime, police call for service, or medical rescue data by address. Shows “hot spots” of activity by location.

8. Showing, Not Telling

9. Density of Party Complaints by Neighborhood North Bottoms Neighborhood

10. Step 2: Build the Message

11. Example Message Box

12. Message Adaptation for Spokespersons Mission, Philosophy, Goals, Strategic Approach Coalition Message Individual Perspective Unique perspective, experience, contribution

13. Common Message Mistakes No clear action/response suggestion is built into message Action/response is beyond capacity of target audience Message ignores cultural or social barriers to acceptance (does not provide inoculation) Message tries to say it all at once Message assumes a predisposed audience

14. Essential Elements Audience analysis • Accurate targeting: Who can enact change? • Tipping Point: Finding connectors, mavens, salespeople among target audience • Breadth and depth of target audience: profiling • Accurate assessment: What “sticks” for them? • Psychographics of the target audience • Identifying shared language and syntax • Identifying salient master narratives and how messages fit within these • Identifying barriers to comprehension or acceptance

15. Step 3: Get the Message OUT • Story Placement in Traditional News Media (TV, Radio, Newspapers). • Ongoing/evolving dialogue in social media (Tweets, Posts, Blogs, Videos, Comments). • Community Forums: Facilitated discussions among stakeholders. • Key Influencer Diffusion: Targeted conversations and information to key community influencers.

16. Help the media get the story right • Press Kit • Press release • Fact Sheet • Interview Contact list • Images/video/graphics • Interaction with reporter • Explaining the story • Exploring the angle

17. Don’t stop with traditional media Bar or Neighborhood Walk for new coalition members/stakeholders. ID check test at special lunch. Post-event trash pick-up. Social media posts of photos and video.

19. The NE Driver’s License Story Nebraska one of 5 states with analog driver’s licenses. State legislation needed to change to secure digital system at a cost of millions (in a state that doesn’t like tax increases). Digital driver’s licenses would have impact on false ID use by underage drinkers and was part of strategic plan. Goal: Get legislators to vote for the new law. Communication Goal: Get everyone to see the need

22. Feature Stories A VERY different form of support for digital driver’s licenses: VANITY

23. Nebraska's hologram licenses help solve the fake ID problem The current three-colored hologram Nebraska driver's license has been the very pain it set out to be to any under-21s plotting deception in the name of bar revelry. March 25, 2007 7:00 pm  •  BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star The current three-colored hologram Nebraska driver’s license has been the very pain it set out to be to any under-21s plotting deception in the name of bar revelry. From one of the easiest state IDs to duplicate to one of the hardest, most attempts at copying the new license have been laughable. “They’re so horrible you look at it just a second and it’s like, ‘This isn’t any good,’” Ward said.

27. Essential Elements Spokesperson training • Establishment of uniform language • Scripting, outlining, and providing supportive data and examples in easily communicated formats • Contextualization (understanding of how messages fit within strategic plan) • Interview preparation (Q & A sheet) including inoculation approaches for common opposing views

28. The student newspaper runs a 5-day feature on the problems of college drinking and features the efforts of the coalition

29. Reflection of message saturation: Local newspaper editorial board fully replicates message

31. Key Lessons Learned Communication efforts must be comprehensive and complimentary to achieve intertextual resonance Pick your attitude change battles wisely Do the work of the media for them and all the coverage is yours Messages must be salient to audiences, not just spokespersons Timing matters Your ability to accurately assess reach/impact is critical, and many things will throw you into the bushes.

32. For more information • Thomas Workman, Ph.D. • tworkman@air.org • Facebook: Tom Workman • Twitter: @drworkman • Academia.edu: http://bcm.academia.edu/thomasworkman • Linked In: ThomasWorkman • Mobile: 832-392-1224