LHD Communications

Why and How to Communicate | Communications Planning | Media Outreach | Community Engagement

In the Spotlight

NACCHO & CDC Communications Webinar Series

NACCHO and the CDC have joined forces in an unprecedented effort to help LHDs strengthen their communications capacity. Explore marketing and branding, message clarity, new media, and evaluation.

Webinar Schedule

Communicating Public Health: Why Do We Have to Market Something Everyone Should Already Want?
Presenter: Fred Fridinger, DrPH, chief, CDC Strategic and Proactive Marketing Branch
Date: Wednesday, June 19 at 3 P.M. ET
Register Now!

You Know What You're Talking About, but Does Your Audience? CDC's New Clear Communication Index and How To Use It.
Presenter: Cynthia Baur, PhD, CDC Senior Advisor for Health Literacy
Date: Wednesday, July 17 at 3 P.M. ET
*Registration will be available on June 20th.

New Communication Channels: What They Are, Why They Are Here to Stay, and Why You Need to be There. CDC Makes It Easy for You.
Presenter: Amy Heldman, MPH, CDC Social Media Team Lead
Date: Wednesday, August 14 at 3 P.M. ET
*Registration will be available on June 20th.

Building Our Understanding of Health Communication Evaluation
Presenter: Jim Weaver, PhD, MPH, CDC Senior Health Communication Scientist, Evaluation Expert
Date:Wednesday, September 18 at 3 P.M. ET
*Registration will be available on June 20th.

For more information, contact Alisa Blum, Director of Media and Public Relations at ablum@naccho.org

Local health departments (LHDs) require effective communications at all levels to help promote healthy behavior in the community, build support for local public health efforts, and increase a department’s impact and influence with policymakers, the media and the public.

Communications may serve an entire health department, a single unit or program, or a specific LHD-led project that involves external partners. Effective communications reach target audiences, large and small, and stretch far beyond a news release and printed brochures to include public and media relations, social marketing, advertising, branding, community outreach, crisis communications, and emergency risk management.

An excellent communications effort can be timely and cost-effective, and leverage and conserve the department’s scarce resources. The road to excellence in LHD communications starts here.

Reseach: Speaking to the Public About Prevention

New public opinion research provides valuable insight about why the public is unaware of the value of community-based prevention and makes recommendations about how local health departments, policymakers, and business leaders can be more effective in talking about it. More »