267500 Your Voice Counts: An online forum to engage the public and stakeholders in California in suicide prevention activities

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 2:45 PM - 3:00 PM

Jana Sczersputowski, MPH , Your Social Marketer, Inc, San Diego, CA
Richelle Brown , AdEase, San Diego, CA
A three-year suicide prevention social marketing funded by the Mental Health Services Act and overseen by the California Mental Health Services Authority includes a media campaign reaching the general public and a variety of audiences reflecting diverse cultures, individuals across the lifespan and those at elevated risk for suicide. It is integrated with other suicide prevention projects throughout the state to strengthen the network of crisis centers, expand suicide prevention training, and decrease stigma around mental illness. To integrate these activities, build on existing models, and gather input reflective of the diverse demographics of California, an online forum (Your Voice Counts) was created that allows individuals to take polls, weigh in on campaign concepts and designs, and discuss activities occurring throughout the state. Your Voice Counts facilitates information sharing and a dialogue around suicide prevention activities across the state of California. Features of the forum include announcements, input topics in the forms of polls, discussions or surveys, and workgroups. A successful campaign is largely dependent on the extent to which the campaign is relevant for and embraced by the 58 diverse counties in the state. So a second function of the forum is to allow the 58 counties to shape the campaign and make it relevant to their people. The presentation will demonstrate how the site functions, how members were recruited, how the forum facilitates collaboration and feedback, how it informed suicide prevention activities, and discuss challenges and how those were addresses.

Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
1) Describe how an online tool can engage stakeholders and community members across the state in informing campaign materials and strategies. 2) List different features of an online forum to achieve information sharing, workgroup facilitation and input solicitation.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Jana Sczersputowski has over 12 years of experience in developing and implementing social marketing and communication campaigns. She had the vision for the Your Voice Counts forum and oversaw the development and day-to-day management of the forum.
Any relevant financial relationships? Yes

Name of Organization Clinical/Research Area Type of relationship
AdEase Marketing Consultant and Your Social Marketer is a subcontractor to the funded agency.

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.