Using Success Stories to Promote Program Success 2008 PRAMS Meeting December 8, 2008 Ann Webb Price, Ph.D. Community Evaluation Solutions, Inc.

PRESENTATION #1

SIDS: An important Public Health Issue Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is defined as the sudden death of an infant less than one year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is defined as the sudden death of an infant less than one year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation More than 4,500 infants die suddenly each year in the United States More than 4,500 infants die suddenly each year in the United States 2

SIDS: An important Public Health Issue SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants between one to 12 months old SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants between one to 12 months old Most SIDS deaths occur when a baby is between 2 and 4 months of age Most SIDS deaths occur when a baby is between 2 and 4 months of age The diagnosis of SIDS is not commonly used after 1 year of age. The diagnosis of SIDS is not commonly used after 1 year of age.

SIDS: An important Public Health Issue There is some evidence that suggests that some babies are born with brain abnormalities that may cause SIDS There is some evidence that suggests that some babies are born with brain abnormalities that may cause SIDS These abnormalities are in the portion of the brain involved in control of breathing and waking during sleep These abnormalities are in the portion of the brain involved in control of breathing and waking during sleep Brain abnormalities may stem from prenatal exposure to a toxic substance, or lack of a vital compound in the prenatal environment, such as sufficient oxygen Brain abnormalities may stem from prenatal exposure to a toxic substance, or lack of a vital compound in the prenatal environment, such as sufficient oxygen

Preventing SIDS Positioning an infant for sleep has been identified as a modifiable behavior that can decrease the risk for SIDS Positioning an infant for sleep has been identified as a modifiable behavior that can decrease the risk for SIDS Consistently placing a healthy baby on its back to sleep for naps and at night has been found to reduce the risk Consistently placing a healthy baby on its back to sleep for naps and at night has been found to reduce the risk

Vital Records, Office of Health Information and Policy Prepared by Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Section. SIDS in Georgia

Vital Records, Office of Health Information and Policy Prepared by Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Section. SIDS in Georgia

PRESENTATION #2

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11 What Cause Would You Join?

12 Objectives To define Success Stories and the rational for using them To define Success Stories and the rational for using them To describe how the Success Story fits into an overall evaluation plan To describe how the Success Story fits into an overall evaluation plan To describe types and formats of Success Stories To describe types and formats of Success Stories To learn how to construct your own Success Stories To learn how to construct your own Success Stories

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14 Which method is more memorable? 89% of Evil Witches hate Princes 71% of Princes have been turned to toads There are only 43 Princes left in our state We need to stop Evil Witches from turning Princes into toads

15 You want your story to be more than tomorrows training paper

16 What is a Success Story ? A simple description of a programs A simple description of a programs Progress Progress Achievements Achievements Lessons learned Lessons learned A request for action A request for action

17 What it is Not Surveillance report Surveillance report Complete evaluation picture Complete evaluation picture Completely un-biased Completely un-biased

18 Why you would want one Visibility and credibility Visibility and credibility Accountability and evaluation Accountability and evaluation Advocacy and promotion Advocacy and promotion Satisfy information requests and educate decision makers Satisfy information requests and educate decision makers Garner more support and resources Garner more support and resources

19 More Uses for Success Stories Publicize early successes Publicize early successes Provide a face to numbers Provide a face to numbers Show movement in program progress when planned outcomes will not be realized until the distant future Show movement in program progress when planned outcomes will not be realized until the distant future Make the target population aware of your program Make the target population aware of your program

20 Ignite Passion for Your Cause

21 A Full Toolbox Overall picture to the personal level Overall picture to the personal level Meaning and depth Meaning and depth Triangulation of data Triangulation of data Used at any point in program progress Used at any point in program progress

22 Types of Success Stories We can talk about stories based on the developmental phase of the program: We can talk about stories based on the developmental phase of the program: Upstream Upstream

23 Types of Success Stories We can talk about stories based on the developmental phase of the program: We can talk about stories based on the developmental phase of the program: Upstream Upstream Midstream Midstream

24 Types of Success Stories We can talk about stories based on the developmental phase of the program: We can talk about stories based on the developmental phase of the program: Upstream Upstream Midstream Midstream Downstream Downstream

25 Choosing the Correct Format Elevator Story Elevator Story Paragraph Spotlight Paragraph Spotlight One-pager One-pager Two-page Two-page Full Brief Full Brief Published Article Published Article

The Elevator Story Exercise 26

27 Moment of Opportunity

28 Your Story

29 10 Seconds

Your Elevator Story

Constructing the Story

32 Before You Begin Before you get started ask: Before you get started ask: Who is your audience? Who is your audience? What is the goal of the story? What is the goal of the story? Will the story be used for a chance meeting or a formal request for information? Will the story be used for a chance meeting or a formal request for information? Is the story timely? Is the story timely?

33 Who is the Audience? Major business industries in your state Major business industries in your state Civic organizations Civic organizations Policymakers Policymakers Federal elected officials; Federal management; State elected officials; State appointed officials; State management; Local officials Federal elected officials; Federal management; State elected officials; State appointed officials; State management; Local officials Schools or Universities Schools or Universities Media sources Media sources Foundations Foundations

34 Write for your Reader not Yourself Always show benefit Always show benefit Memorable fact/truth Memorable fact/truth Emotional hook Emotional hook Paint a picture Paint a picture Sense of immediacy Sense of immediacy The ASK The ASK **All from the perspective of your audience

Framing the Message for Policymakers Clear - without jargon and acronyms Clear - without jargon and acronyms Connect – use an image or analogy they can relate to Connect – use an image or analogy they can relate to Compelling – make the audience want to act Compelling – make the audience want to act Concise – simple; three or four bullet points Concise – simple; three or four bullet points Peggy Yen, CDD 35

What Policy Makers Read 53% skim 53% skim 35% never get to 35% never get to 27% read for detail 27% read for detail (Sorian & Baugh 2002) 36

What Policy Makers Read Relevancy Relevancy Ease of reading Ease of reading 65% read printed material 65% read printed material 27% read electronic material 27% read electronic material (Sorian & Baugh 2002) 37

What Policy Makers Read 48% Professional association 48% Professional association 21% State group 21% State group 21% Foundation 21% Foundation 19% Government agency 19% Government agency 14% Think tanks 14% Think tanks 14% Health care associations 14% Health care associations 6% Universities 6% Universities (Sorian & Baugh 2002) 38

Sticky Ideas Simplicity Simplicity Unexpectedness Unexpectedness Concreteness Concreteness Credibility Credibility Emotions Emotions Stories Stories (Heath & Heath, 2007) 39

YOUR Story

41 A Plan for Story Collection Starts with a well-developed plan Starts with a well-developed plan A data collection tool or process for collecting both formal and informal stories A data collection tool or process for collecting both formal and informal stories Identify staff responsible for collecting, organizing, analyzing and writing the stories Identify staff responsible for collecting, organizing, analyzing and writing the stories A communication plan for disseminating the stories A communication plan for disseminating the stories

42 Identification Methods Examples Site visit/Trip report Site visit/Trip report Annual reports and partner publications Annual reports and partner publications Sharing at annual meetings/coalition meetings Sharing at annual meetings/coalition meetings Presentations Presentations Formal solicitations Formal solicitations

43 Low Cost Ways to Elicit Success Stories Three Step Interview Three Step Interview Data Dialogue Data Dialogue Graffiti Graffiti Concept Formation Concept Formation Cooperative Rank Order Cooperative Rank Order (King & Stevahn, 2003) (King & Stevahn, 2003)

Graffiti Exercise 44

Get Their Attention Catchy Bylines Exercise 45

46 The Success Story Template

47 Typical Outline Title with a VERB Title with a VERB Define the Problem - Issue Define the Problem - Issue Program Description Program Description Impact Statement and the ASK Impact Statement and the ASK Contact Information Contact Information

Resources Submit stories Submit stories Get writing assistance Get writing assistance Easily accessible website for policy makers and advocates to find stories Easily accessible website for policy makers and advocates to find stories 48

Resources WISEWOMAN WISEWOMAN http// http// Story Telling as Best Practice Story Telling as Best Practice Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant pdf pdf 49

Comments and Questions

How to Reach Us Ann Webb Price, Ph.D. CES, Inc Salisbury Dr. Alpharetta, GA René Lavinghouze, MA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 4470 Buford Hwy., F-10 Atlanta, GA