Health Center Week Tools
 
The Media
TELEVISION AND RADIO
 Contact
your local television station suggesting a story on your health
center and its contributions to improving the health status of your
community. Focus on a specific health center program - or local
health problem or issue under debate at the federal, state and local
levels that will impact the delivery of health services in your
community. Speak to reporters who cover health, consumer, and human-interest
stories. Provide statistics to substantiate your position. Put
a human face in your story to underscore the high stakes involved
and to serve as a reminder that health centers are about people
and communities.
Alert local news editors or public affairs directors to the growing
numbers of uninsured in your community - and/or high-risk and vulnerable
populations. Recommend a targeted series of reports to the community
that will create awareness of how this crisis is impacting public
health - providers - and the community at large. Emphasize that
health centers serve at the front lines of defense in any bioterror
or disaster situations in their communities to rapidly detect and
identify public health threats; to help prevent the spread of disease;
and to care for and treat infected patients.
Invite the media to visit during National Health Center Week and
to interview your medical and key staff, board members and patients.
Plan events that spotlight your center’s services and programs and
unrivaled track record in expanding access to affordable and quality
health care. Include public officials and local celebrities in scheduled
events to attract public interest and media coverage.
Contact
and request television and radio stations to air public service
announcements about National Health Center Week and invite coverage
of events.
Make key staff and board members available for interviews to answer questions or speak about the services of your center, patient needs, health issues, and/or new resources that are enabling your health center to grow and expand services to the community.
Suggest a “talk-show” focus on community health with citizen and health center participation.
NEWSPAPERS
Send news
advisories and invite press coverage of Health Center Week events.
(Local neighborhood papers are eager for news about what is happening
in the community; larger city newspapers will need a stronger “hook”.
Download 2010 Media Templates here.
Provide a follow-up story and photo for local newspapers that do not cover the event.
Request
a meeting with the editorial board of a major area newspaper to
inform them of the work and mission of your center and its role
as a safety net provider. Emphasize: (1) the number of people you
serve and who they are; (2) the need for greater public and private
investment to keep pace with growing numbers of uninsured and high-risk
and vulnerable populations; (3) the potential impact of legislative
proposals/or changes in the health care environment on your center;
and (4) the importance of health centers as partnerships joining
the community to address local health problems. See
Tips.
Submit
stories and letters to the editor about your center as a model of
innovative heath care delivery at a time when communities confront
a multitude of complex community health problems, including substance
abuse - chronic disease - homelessness - and AIDS. Focus on how
your center brings people and community organizations together to
tackle problems and find solutions. (Successful articles carry
their message best when they are focused on people, their problems,
and accomplishments.)
Advertise National Health Center Week events. Ask local merchants to join the celebration by sponsoring ads to include information about your program schedule and/or to recognize your health center for its service and contribution as a “valued” community partner.
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