1. Supporting Families Annual Meeting 2004 More about Simplifying Penny Lane, The Center for Health Literacy MAXIMUS

2. The Center for Health Literacy2 Review and More Writing Writing Formatting Formatting The Web The Web Translation Translation Field-testing Field-testing

3. The Center for Health Literacy3 Build a Team Stakeholders: Consumers (need information) Consumers (need information) Program (content, design) Program (content, design) Systems (formatting) Systems (formatting) Lawyers Lawyers Mail House (production) Mail House (production) Finance (costs) Finance (costs)

4. The Center for Health Literacy4 The Facts Who are “low literate readers”? Almost half of the American public Almost half of the American public A large percentage of Medicaid/SCHIP consumers A large percentage of Medicaid/SCHIP consumers Many who are articulate! Many who are articulate! Survivors Survivors

5. The Center for Health Literacy5 The Cost They don’t read your notice* They don’t read your notice* They read without comprehension* They read without comprehension* They miss important messages* They miss important messages* They miss deadlines/lose services* They miss deadlines/lose services* They use an intermediary (privacy!) They use an intermediary (privacy!) They’ll call you for help* They’ll call you for help*

6. The Center for Health Literacy6 IT IS TIME TO DETERMINE YOUR CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS. THE REDETERMINATION MUST BE COMPLETED OR YOUR [PROGRAM] BENEFITS WILL END. 1.CONTACT ME FOR AN APPOINTMENT 2.PLEASE BRING THE COMPLETED FORM TO THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT AT [DATE]. YOU MUST ANSWER EVERY QUESTION ON THE APPLICATION FORM, EVEN THOUGH NOTHING MAY HAVE CHANGED. YOU MUST PROVIDE THE PROOF LISTED ON THE ENCLOSED FORM. CONTACT ME BY [DATE] IF YOU NEED TO RESCHEDULE THE APPOINTMENT.

7. The Center for Health Literacy7 IT IS TIME TO blah blah blah YOUR blah blah blah blah blah blah FOR BENEFITS. THE blah blah blah MUST BE blah blah blah OR YOUR [PROGRAM] BENEFITS WILL END. 1.CONTACT ME FOR AN blah blah blah 2.PLEASE BRING THE blah blah blah FORM TO THE blah blah blah AT [DATE]. YOU MUST ANSWER EVERY QUESTION ON THE APPLICATION FORM, EVEN THOUGH NOTHING MAY HAVE CHANGED. YOU MUST blah blah blah THE PROOF LISTED ON THE blah blah blah FORM. CONTACT ME BY [DATE] IF YOU NEED TO blah blah blah THE blah blah blah.

8. The Center for Health Literacy8 Do you have a problem? Arm’s length view Arm’s length view Read aloud test Read aloud test

9. The Center for Health Literacy9 Quick Fixes Reduce Reduce Revise Revise Reformat Reformat

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14. The Center for Health Literacy14 The World Wide Web: Who knew? Used by Applicants Applicants Children of applicants Children of applicants Friends and relatives of applicants Friends and relatives of applicants Your staff Your staff

15. The Center for Health Literacy15 Web material, including on-line apps Planning is key. Planning is key. Web users SCAN more than read. Web users SCAN more than read. Make it intuitive. Make it intuitive. Make it visually simple. Make it visually simple. Make it linguistically appropriate. Make it linguistically appropriate.

16. The Center for Health Literacy16 General rules for the web Less content per screen. Less content per screen. No scrolling for key messages. No scrolling for key messages. All writing rules apply! All writing rules apply! Navigation should be crystal clear. Navigation should be crystal clear. Not too many tabs. Not too many tabs.

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18. The Center for Health Literacy18 On-line interactive applications Brief, in place instructions Brief, in place instructions Error messages that “pop” Error messages that “pop” A way to revisit A way to revisit A way to page back A way to page back A review and opportunity to edit A review and opportunity to edit Formatting rules apply Formatting rules apply Writing rules apply Writing rules apply A clear “what’s next?” A clear “what’s next?” A help message A help message Usability testing! Usability testing!

19. The Center for Health Literacy19 And ask yourself Can users find it easily from your state’s Home Page? Can users find it easily from your state’s Home Page?

20. The Center for Health Literacy20 Translation: More important than ever Take as much care as with the English original. Take as much care as with the English original. Find the right translation company and designer. Find the right translation company and designer. Provide a glossary. Provide a glossary. QA your translations. QA your translations. Field test in every language! Field test in every language!

21. The Center for Health Literacy21 Field Testing on a shoe string Prepare, and develop unbiased questions Prepare, and develop unbiased questions Choose 10-15 consumers Choose 10-15 consumers Do informal one-on-one interviews Do informal one-on-one interviews Be appreciative and uncritical Be appreciative and uncritical Protect privacy Protect privacy Watch and learn; look for trends Watch and learn; look for trends

22. The Center for Health Literacy22 Field Testing Check List Confidentiality Confidentiality Why is this going to help? Why is this going to help? This is not a test! This is not a test! Reading out loud rules Reading out loud rules Avoid filling silences Avoid filling silences Don’t give your opinion Don’t give your opinion Probe Probe Check Check Use the protocol as a guide Use the protocol as a guide

23. The Center for Health Literacy23 Keep in touch!