Public Health Communications for Hurricane Maria Response

Maria Levis

MPH, MPA, PCMH-CCE

CEO of Impactivo

Have you experienced a disaster that included a power outage for at least:

❑ One week?

❑ One month?

❑ Longer

The Problem With Online Resources

• Difficult to access

• Difficult to understand

• Not pertinent

• Too long and/or English only

Training and Information

Training and materials for public

consumption on how to maintain

health under the current conditions

Training for a volunteer resource

center (volunteers and in country

public health and sanitation workers)

Requested by the Puerto Rico DOH:

Priority topics included:

Water safety

Food safety/spoiled food

Scabies

Mental health/dealing with trauma

Remediation of mold

Care for chronic conditions under the current

conditions (focus on asthma, diabetes, dialysis)

Waste/Garbage Disposal and Management

Volunteer Management

Surveillance

Requested by the Puerto Rico DOH:

Training and Information

Impactivo’s Resources

Trusted partnership with the Puerto

Rico health department

Puerto Rico Network of local partners

from diverse sectors meeting at the

Emergency Operations Center

Public Health Learning Network of ten

university-based Public Health

Training Centers, an existing,

knowledgeable and responsive team

1

2

3

Activating a National Network

Region 2 Public Health Training Center Contribution

Created cloud based folders to share most urgent public

health needs

Quickly identified high quality information to be deployed in

micro-trainings and one-page materials.

Identified and deconstructed online resources using

instructional design expertise

Requested pro-bono Spanish translation support from the

University of Miami

Asked network to ask experts to fill in gaps where online

resources did not exist (e.g., cistern cleaning and addressing

dialysis without electricity)

Impactivo’s Contribution

Presented and communicated highest priority needs

identified by PR DOH to Region 2 PHTC

Cultural adaptation of content

Structured local branding strategy to get maximum

support

Identified local resources to print campaign

Establishment of distribution network to reach over

200,000 people

Salúdame Saludable: “Greet Me With Health”

Printed Materials: Public Safety Handout

MORE THAN

200,000print copies distributed and placed in public spaces by October 4th, two weeks after storm fall.

Progress of the Campaign: Distribution and Reach

Newspaper-

based

campaign

generated

printed copies

Large local

organization

s printed

and shared

Suppliers incorporated

it into the supply

chain to hospitals and

moved the

information with their

goods

Moved to

sustainability

on social

media,

internet and

news media

Evolution of the Campaign: Subject Matter

Evolution of the Campaign: Subject Matter

Evolution of the Campaign: Subject Matter

Keys to Success: Partnerships

Puerto Rico Department of

Health

Impactivo, LLC.

Region 2 Public Health Training

Center

Region 1 Public Health Training

Center

Columbia University Mailman

School of Public Health

Rutgers University School of

Public Health

University of the Virgin Islands

New York City Department of

Health and Mental Hygiene

CDC Foundation

Agenda Ciudadana

Josette y sus Truquitos Caseros

PR Human Resources

Association/SHRM

Clever Media

Puerto Rico Primary Care

Association – Asociación de

Salud Primaria de Puerto Rico

(representing 20 Federally

Qualified Health Centers)

PR Medical Directors Academy

– Academia de Directores

Médicos de Puerto Rico

PR Insurance

Association/Acodese

PR Hospital Association

United Ways of Puerto

Rico/Fondos Unidos de Puerto

Rico

Universidad Carlos Albizu

Projecto Enlace del Caño Martin

Peña

AbbVie

Sanofi

Best Option

Wovenware

Cesmi

Yale University

Insignia Senior Living (Elderly

Home)

PR Chapter Entrepreneurs

Organization (EO)

Ciencias PR (Groups PR

Scientists)

Foundation for Puerto Rico

Cooperativa de Seguros

Multiples

GFR Media

Asociacion de Ejecutivos de

Cooperativas (Groups PR

Coops)

Dotdot

Lines of Communication: Media Contacts

GFR Media

Diálogo

Periódico La Cordillera (Cidra)

Primerahora.com

El Vocero

El Oriental (Humacao) y El Regional

El Nuevo Periódico de Caguas

Periódico Visión

Periódico Todo Carollina

Periódico El Sol

PeriódicoPresencia (Carolina)

Periódico La Perla (Ponce)

Periódico La Esquina

Periódico El Todo Bayamón

Periódico El Expresso (Manatí)

Sistema TV

Telemundo

Telemundo

WIPR

Notiuno

Wapa TV

Online Campaign Resource Site

Online Campaign Resource Site

Working with a trusted local

partner advances the effort’s

capacity to quickly identify

needs, tailor to the local

context and establish a

network to distribute

materials for greater spread.

1

Having a team of experts

“offsite” to support the local

team in addressing the needs

identified, providing high

quality content, formatting

content in accordance with

local capacity to distribute

and coordinating with

National support entities was

paramount.

2

Vertical and horizontal

communication and

coordination are of utmost

importance and need to be

strengthened.

3

Key Lessons Learned

Thanks!

PMB 140

1357 Ashford Avenue

San Juan, PR 00907

(787) 993-1508 (t)

Email: maria.levis@impactivo.com

Web: www.impactivo.com

https://www.facebook.com/Impactivo/

Impactivo Contact Information:

What is Impactivo?Impactivo is a social impact consulting firm that works with leaders to make health and wellbeing accessible to communities.