Critical Health Communications for the Community

Educating and providing life-saving access to testing and vaccines.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, community health center Family First Health (FFH) knew it had to amplify its voice as a leading source of health information for the vulnerable communities of Central Pennsylvania most affected by the outcomes of the prolonged pandemic.

Gavin prioritized elevating FFH’s visibility among public health officials, healthcare providers, funding sources, and the public to leverage the opportunity to build an improved understanding of the Federally Qualified Health Center’s (FQHC) community impact. Strategic information covered providing patient education on influencing factors affecting access-to-care among the most affected populations.

A Clear Voice for Health During a Time of Confusion

In advancing FFH’s presence regionally, providing strategic messaging and offering expert commentary at precise times in the news cycle created moments in time to be a premier voice in the public health discussion. A complete communications plan was created to amplify outcomes in publicity, including the creation of an “In the News” room on FFH’s site, which thoughtfully displayed visuals of influential media coverage and medical professionals’ insights from FFH trusted primary care providers.

Gavin’s public relations professionals guided the voice of FFH leadership to convey the important role the organization plays in public health and the wellbeing of the underserved community.

Providing Resources to Meet an Evolving Need

The needs of the community evolved as the pandemic progressed, and under the guidance of Gavin’s media relations team, FFH engaged the community by establishing a more profound voice for access to care.

Media coverage included the following:

Promoting local testing sites
Developing and producing Community Health Briefings
Hosting a virtual community Q&A on the COVID-19 vaccine and the Black community
Publicizing a collaborative vaccine clinic to target key populations
Responding to a surge in cases with information about multiple vaccine clinics and new testing sites to decrease the burden on local hospitals
Informing the community about the closing of the collaborative vaccine clinic, after 7,500 COVID-19 vaccinations