Tailored Materials and Town Halls to Engage Communities in Epidemics Planning

SFDPH Community Health Equity and Promotion (CHEP)

In 2021, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) sought community input on their plan to end the HIV, hepatitis C, and STI epidemics. SFDPH hired Facente Consulting to disseminate information about the plan and to seek input from the community, in collaboration with community-based organizations representing five local priority populations (Blacks/African Americans, Latines, trans women, people who inject drugs, and people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity).

Facente Consulting worked with the community organizations to develop and disseminate tailored materials related to the plan to each priority population. Specifically, Facente Consulting supported the organizations to determine the plan content most necessary for community dissemination, design the media through which the information would be disseminated, and work with a graphic designer to lay out and finalize the materials before they were printed and provided to the agencies for dissemination. In addition, in partnership with the community-based organizations, Facente Consulting facilitated two successful virtual town hall events in October 2021, focused on the Black/African American and Latine communities, that were attended by more than 70 community members. The events featured panelists from the community, community organization staff, activists, and Department of Public Health personnel. (The project is currently on hold due to logistical issues at CBOs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.)