June 14, 2014 NPHIC Award Entries http://www.nphic.org/awards-home-page
Award Category In-house Print/Graphic: Brochures Entry 4 Title ecoOttawa: Environmental Health Disposal Program Submitted by Kristina Wieghmink, M.Ed. Ottawa County Department of Public Health Communications Specialist & NPHIC Member (616)494-5597 kwieghmink@miottawa.org
Background and Research
The ecoOttawa Environmental Health Disposal Program booklet was created to address the need for awareness of the various services offered.
The target audience included Ottawa County residents, realtors, home supply stores, treasury offices, public safety departments and pharmacies.
Planning
The goal for the project was to help people understand the hazards of improper disposal of household hazardous waste and unused medications, along with educating the public on the importance of environmental health.
The environmental health disposal program had randomly dispersed and inconsistent documents that did not effectively reach their target audience. The program team’s objective was to provide a comprehensive educational piece that encompassed the various services they offered. Information on the Ottawa County Resource Recovery Center locations and medication drop off sites was also needed to help ensure proper disposal and recycling.
Planning began when the environmental health team and I met to write a communications plan. The plan included information about our budget, problem to address, target audience, desired outcome, potential barriers and special needs, partnerships, type of communications and deliverables, take away messages, project deadline, what we wanted people to do with the information and what action we wanted them to take. 1
The next step of the planning process was to conduct a communications audit. This involved going to one of the resource recovery centers to take a tour and talk with staff to better understand why we offer environmental health services and why they are important. I asked about their roles and why they come to work each day and do what they do. I also needed to know what materials could be recycled, disposed or re-used, why we need to encourage people to use the centers and what the consequences are if they don’t.
After we defined our goals, objectives, developed the communications plan and completed the communications audit, I collected more information to create the communications piece: o
statement from the supervisor explaining what environmental health is,
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how it fits in with public health,
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county, state and national statistics,
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accepted/non accepted recovery center items,
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statement on the consequences of improper disposal,
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list of center locations,
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where to find information on medication disposal sites,
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information on what other counties and regions where doing to promote similar programs
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and royalty free photography or photography from an environmental health staff member who went on-site to take photos of various recyclable and disposable items.
The communications strategy included delivering several booklets to realtor associations and offices to provide home buyers and sellers with information on where to dispose of household hazard waste and unused medication. This proved to be especially helpful for those who were cleaning their homes and garages before relocating.
Additional booklets, as part of the plan, were distributed to home supply stores, public safety departments, pharmacies, schools and at community events. County treasurer offices also received booklets so they may provide them to home owners when they pay their property taxes.
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Budget, Materials Used & Execution
$2,000 budget used for purchasing 1 local photographer’s high resolution photo and the cost of printing.
$1,980 spent for 5,500 booklets.
With a limited budget, we relied on staff, my communications and design experiences and community partners to help create and distribute booklets throughout the county.
Messages to the target audience:
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Message 1 – Convey the importance of a healthy environment; proper disposal helps ensure safe drinking water, cleaner air with less pollutants and safe food production to consumption.
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Message 2 - Participation by residents and organizations, working together with public health, helps ensure a healthy environment and healthy people.
Communication and deliverables: o
16 page (8.50” x 5.50”) booklets distributed to realtor associations and offices, home supply stores, public safety departments, pharmacies, schools, treasurer offices, community organizations and at fairs, festivals and conferences. http://www.miottawa.org/Health/OCHD/pdf/EcoOttawa_booklet.pdf
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Revised website and created a shortened url www.miOttawa.org/eco to better promote and access information.
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Radio interview to coincide with Radon Awareness Month.
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News release to the media, department staff and schools to coincide with Earth Day.
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Articles in local newspapers and radio interviews.
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Social media posts to www.facebook.com/miOttawaHealth, www.facebook.com/ecoOttawa and https://twitter.com/miocdph
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Publication in the December 20, 2013 issue of the County Administrator’s Community Digest. http://www.miottawa.org/Departments/Admin/pdf/Digest/2013/12202013.pdf
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Publication in the county employee newsletter.
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Promotion by the West Michigan Lakeshore Association of Realtors, who distributed booklets to their members and clients. A link to the booklet is on the association’s website www.wmlar.com.
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Presentation at Grand Valley State University on October 4, 2013 - Public Health overview and OCDPH initiatives.
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Presentation at the OCDPH all staff meeting on October 24, 2013 - Communications update and current initiatives.
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Presentation at the Lakeshore Alliance Against Sexual and Domestic Violence Association meeting on January 21, 2014 - Public Health overview and OCDPH initiatives.
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Presentation at the Michigan Environmental Health Association Educational Conference on March 21, 2014 - Branding process and OCDPH initiatives.
Results
Number of contacts who received the printed and electronic booklets. A pdf file and on-line link were sent to department staff, County Administrator’s office, County employees, the West Michigan Lakeshore Association of Realtors and partnering organizations.
Number of contacts who received the news release.
Social media and website analytic reports to determine the target audience reach (posts viewed, shared, liked, commented, re-tweeted, increase in followers and visits).
Number of attendees who received information at the Grand Valley State University presentation, OCDPH all staff meeting, Lakeshore Alliance Against Sexual and Domestic Violence Association meeting and the Michigan Environmental Health Educational Conference.
Number of peer agency requests for the ecoOttawa booklets, to use as a model for their program.
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