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Living the Message Caring Across Communities Annual Meeting March 19, 2008 Agenda • Getting Reacquainted – Since We Last Met • Why You Are Here • Living the Message – Role Playing Exercise • Spitfire Communications Training Preview • Next Steps Getting Re-Acquainted Since We Last Met • Conducted Formative Research • Developed, tested, and refined Message Platform • Drafted Talking Points to communicate Message Platform • Finalizing Strategic Communications Plan for CAC NPO Why You Are Here • Discuss prospective target audiences, with a review of understanding their needs and asking them to take action. • Demonstrate practical use of the Message Platform, through conducting “real-life” scenarios. • Preview the Spitfire Communications Training process. • Review upcoming communications activities on behalf of CAC NPO. The World Around Us The World Around Us The world around us is volatile and irrational – there is a perfect storm of political, economic and social issues affecting what we do. QuickTime™ and a DVCPRO - PAL decompressor are needed to see this picture. The World Around Us So, for us to succeed, we have to do all that we can to take control of the message. The World Around Us Who have you had to convince lately? The Message Platform Message Platform: What it Is • A statement about who you are, what you stand for, what you want to achieve, and why. • A framework to guide how you communicate about your program Overarching Message Platform Good mental health care can enable our children to succeed academically and economically. Yet, too many children do not have access to the mental health care services they need to grow and prosper. This is especially true for children of refugee and immigrant families. To properly support our children, and the communities in which they live, we need to fundamentally reshape how we provide these services. That’s why, in 15 school districts in the United States, Caring Across Communities is transforming how we meet the mental health needs of refugee and immigrant children. Prospective CAC Audiences CAC National Program Office National Advocacy Organizations Foundations and Professional Associations (Mental Health, Immigrants/Refugees, School) National and State Policy Makers and CAC Private Funding Sources Grantees The Message Platform: Examples with Target Audiences Federal and State Policy Makers Good mental health care can enable our children to succeed academically and economically. Yet, too many children do not have access to the mental health care services they need to grow and prosper. This is especially true for children of refugee and immigrant families. To help these children thrive, we ask you to invest in policies that will transform mental health services for our children. You can help build a better future for our kids by supporting innovative, culturally appropriate models of care based in our schools, like those developed by Caring Across Communities, that can improve their lives and fully reflect the realities of today’s society. Your support can enable a generation of kids, including those in your district or neighborhood, to grow up and become productive economic contributors to our community. Immigrant/Refugee Advocacy Groups Good mental health care can enable our children to succeed academically and economically. Yet, too many children do not have access to the mental health care services they need to grow and prosper. This is especially true for children of refugee and immigrant families. Refugee and immigrant children are a vital part of our communities, but are often unable to receive the mental health services they need to thrive. These children – our neighbors and our own kids’ friends – deserve the same access to mental health resources as their U.S.-born peers. To meet these challenges, and to fully reflect the realities of our society today, Caring Across Communities is transforming mental health services for immigrant and refugee children in 15 school districts. We ask for your support in promoting and spreading this innovative, culturally appropriate model, so that these children have every opportunity to succeed as they grow up. Education Advocacy Organizations Good mental health care can enable our children to succeed academically and economically. Yet, too many children do not have access to the mental health care services they need to grow and prosper. This is especially true for children of refugee and immigrant families. As leaders of our nation’s school districts, your support is vital if we are to deal with the evolving needs of our children. School represents the most dependable and constant community many kids have, and it is the environment where finite resources can reach the widest number of children most effectively. We ask you to invest in and support the transformation of mental health services for students. America’s schools can become vital incubators for this effort, adopting the innovative, culturally appropriate model that Caring Across Communities is pioneering in 15 school districts across the U.S. Doing so will help all students in your district adapt more easily to their school environment, thrive academically, and succeed in the community. Role-Playing Exercise Role-Playing Exercise Three teams, each focused on a specific target audience, with a specific “real world” scenario. School Superintendent: Seth State Legislator: Mark Immigrant/Refugee Advocacy Group: Finn Role-Playing Exercise Participants present their “Opening Statement” to the target audience representative, using the following structure: ASK BENEFITS STORIES AND DATA WHY? What do you want to have happen? What is the value of your program? How can I best illustrate the value of my program? Why is my program important? ASK Reiterate: What do you want to have happen? Scenario Audience: School District School budget has a $3 million deficit. Children’s mental health services are on cutting block. You have appointment with Superintendent. Prospective Scenario Questions Audience: School District • With all the demands and competing priorities we face from parents, teachers, legislators, and others, how can I justify placing the issue of mental health services reform high on my agenda? • Most schools already go out of their way to provide services to children who need them. We have therapists available to us, and our teachers devote a lot of classroom time to making sure that children with additional needs are not left behind. What more can we reasonably be expected to do? • How could I use my position, and my contacts, to best support your efforts? Scenario Audience: State Legislator State is in deficit. Children’s health services, including mental health, may be cut substantially. You have appointment with state legislator from your district. Prospective Scenario Questions Audience: State Legislator • At the local and state levels, resources are being heavily squeezed. We’re in a situation where we have to choose between competing priorities, and while I’d like to focus on this issue, why should it take precedence over the other worthy needs up for consideration? • To put this issue high on the agenda, I have to convince others that a program that focuses on immigrants and refugees is deserving of our support. How do you suggest I do that in the current environment, when the issue of immigration is so unpopular? • If I get on board with this, what role do you see for me in advancing this issue, and supporting your efforts? Scenario Audience: Immigrant/Refugee Advocacy Group Community support is critical to the success and sustainability of your program. Buy-in from the local advocacy group is essential in this effort. You have an appointment with Executive Director. Prospective Scenario Questions Audience: Immigrant/Refugee Advocacy Group • Immigrants and refugees face a host of issues right now, from increased enforcement to rising anti-immigration sentiment at all levels of society. With so many urgent needs on our plate already, why should we make room for including the issue of reforming the mental health system for kids? • Many immigrant and refugee communities are hesitant to take advantage of these services, whether due to strong cultural stigmas, or fear of exposing themselves to authorities. How will you engage with these communities to ensure that mental health services reach those who need them most? • If we take on this issue, what do you want from us? How do you see our support being put to its best use? Breakout Assignments Schools • Imperial County • Minneapolis Public Schools • Los Angeles Unified School District • Portland Public Schools • Duke University State Legislator • Family Service Association • University of North Carolina • Children’s Hospital Boston • World Relief-Chicago • Children’s Crisis Treatment Center Advocacy Group • Asian American Recovery Services • LA Child Guidance Clinic • NYU, School of Medicine • Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center • Village Family Service Center Communications Training The Training Process • Coaching • July Training Sessions • October Training Sessions Next Steps Next Steps • Finalized Talking Points • NPO Strategic Communications Plan • NPO Communications Implementation Thank You!