Implementing Communications Campaigns

Join us for part two of the three-part webinar series that explores how to design and deliver effective public health communications campaigns addressing substance use disorders and overdose, drawing directly from the experiences of the HEALing Communities Study (HCS).

In this webinar, presenters will focus on implementing communication campaigns with strategies for tailoring materials for distinct communities and audiences. They will showcase a suite of print and digital materials used by HCS that feature non-stigmatizing imagery and language, along with strategies for tailoring materials to local “faces and places” for cultural relevance and authenticity. Attendees will gain insights into grassroots dissemination strategies across various community settings and best practices for engaging audiences, building trust, and fostering community ownership of campaign messages.

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The goals of the HCS communications campaign were to: 1) increase acceptability and demand for evidence-based practices (EBPs) to treat opioid misuse, opioid use disorder (OUD), and opioid overdose death; and 2) decrease stigma toward people who use opioids, OUD, and EBPs, especially the use of medications for OUD. HCS coalitions successfully implemented four main distinct campaigns tailored to local needs, which included campaigns that focused on:

• Obtaining and carrying naloxone

• Decreasing MOUD stigma

• Raising awareness of MOUD treatment

• Staying in MOUD treatment

Based on lessons learned from the HCS, this series will offer practical guidance, real-world case studies, and actionable tools to help attendees prepare, plan, and sustain communications efforts in their community. Attendees will hear from HCS communications leaders about implementing campaigns in the field and lessons learned along the way.