1. Making the Most of NIIW Michele Roberts, MPH, CHES Tim Church
National Immunization Conference
April 20, 2010

2. The Washington Experience
Grand rounds
One day provider training with videoconference sites
Stakeholder meetings – coalition events and smaller meetings with pediatric and community leaders
Pediatric resident dinner
Legislative reception
Media events
PSAs in multiple languages

3. Plan Smart Lay it out – use planning worksheets
Look for outside funding
Context! Context! Context!
Don’t go it alone
Spread the word at every opportunity
Don’t reinvent the wheel
Don’t forget about evaluation

4. Lessons Learned Start early and figure out your budget
Use your partners – not just as advisors but as planners
Schedule state leadership early
Go where can you get the most mileage
Don’t over schedule – allow for some downtime
Understand legislative conflicts
Pay for travel for locals (MCH block grant technical assistance funds)

5. It’s worth the effort Well attended events Reinvigorated stakeholders
Strengthened partnerships
Consistency in messaging and priorities
Planted seeds for future work
Three CME opportunities
Saved universal system - $37 million/year
Alliance formed to address vaccine hesitancy

6. Informing the public through media
Goal
Use earned media to inform public about the importance of immunization
Strategy
News release, editorial boards, and joint media relations work with CDC and local health partners
Resources/effort
50+ hours of Communications Office staff time (this does not include Immunization program, CDC, and local health staff time)

7. Outreach that pays-off
Statewide media relations — “Earned Media”

8. The Results

9. Calculated Publicity Value*
Coverage money can’t buy**
Print
Outlet
Circulation
Value*
Spokesman-Review (story and editorial)
93,089
$4,606
Seattle Times (editorial)
347,734
$6,835
Seattle P-I (story and editorial)
146,722
$8,455
The Columbian (Editorial)
46,199
$181
Total Value:
$20,077
Broadcast
Outlet
Calculated Publicity Value*
KHQ-NBC, SPOKANE
(5 p.m. and morning news)
$3,876
KREM-CBS, SPOKANE
$2,520 
KNDU-NBC, YAKIMA-TRICITIES
(6 p.m. and 11 p.m. news)
$2,190
Total Value**:
$8,586
*Value/Calculated Publicity Value: The advertising equivalency of the coverage

10. Media Lessons Learned
Need a story; NIIW or a national spokesperson are not enough
Don’t be afraid to share the challenges
Choose credible and skilled messengers
Chose your media market wisely
Location with good visuals – kids get attention!
Don’t be afraid to talk about bad news
Remember – this takes lots of time!
It’s worth the effort!
Lots of media coverage
Unsolicited coverage during measles outbreak
Establish your agency as the credible source

11. Contact Information
Michele Roberts
Health Promotion and Communication Manager
Immunization Program CHILD Profile
Washington State Department of Health
Tim Church
Communications Director
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We’d be happy to share any of our materials.

12. Thank You