Bridging Health Gaps: Alabama CEAL's Communications Engine Revolutionizes Community Outreach

The Alabama CEAL Regional Team (AL CEAL) and Acclinate’s collaboration reaches over 1.2 million community members with a tool dedicated to distributing easy-to-understand health messages quickly. The tool serves as a solution following the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staying up to date on health information was identified as a challenge by AL CEAL. "We moved incredibly quickly to get messaging out, to dispel myths and misconceptions about COVID. But it seemed we weren't getting the word out fast enough," reflected AL CEAL team member Susan J. Driggers, director of communications for The University of Alabama at Birmingham Minority Health & Health Equity Research Center. AL CEAL took a proactive approach to address this by teaming up with Acclinate to create the CEAL Communications Engine.  

The Communications Engine serves as a bridge between health experts and the communities they serve. It enables the rapid creation and distribution of up-to-date health messages in a format that's easy-to-understand and engage with. It ensures that vital information reaches those who need it most.

Tiffany Whitlow, co-founder and chief development officer of Acclinate, explains how this resource helped build capacity for organizations trying to reach their communities: “We saw many of our nonprofit partners and community organizations didn't have marketing teams, so they didn't have the means to create and distribute the material in their community. The Communications Engine has been our way of meeting the needs of community partners while delivering timely information through flyers, door hangers, and digital ads." 

Unique in its capabilities, the Communications Engine’s entire process — from submission to approval — is completed in only five business days. So, how does this engine power the flow of information? 

1. When an organization has a health message they want to share, they fill out a request form on the CEAL Communications Engine website. This form helps them shape their message to resonate best with the target audience and outline what the message is about, the intended action, and its goal.
2. Once submitted, the request is swiftly processed. An Acclinate digital specialist crafts a mockup of the message for internal and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.
3. With the green light from CEAL and the IRB, the message goes live within 24 hours and is disseminated across various digital platforms.
4. After a 30-day cycle, a comprehensive wrap-up report is generated, providing valuable insights into the message's performance.

The AL CEAL Rapid Response Network, comprised of influential community organizations representing large networks of members, played a pivotal role in the engine’s success during its first year. Through partnerships with local organizations, including the United Way of Madison County, the Alabama Conference of Black Mayors, the Alabama NAACP, and the Black Belt Community Foundation, they formed a network of community stakeholders ready to listen, share, and act on the latest information. Regular meetings with Acclinate's community engagement manager ensure a steady flow of insights, keeping the engine finely tuned to the pulse of the community.

The success of the engine was evident in the first year of its launch with nearly 25,000 community members taking action—whether it was seeking more information, participating in surveys, or joining a research study focus group. Health messages featuring real community members resonated far more than those with stock imagery, showcasing the importance of representation and community input.  

AL CEAL's Communication Engine is a testament to the power of community-driven initiatives in combating public health challenges. The team remains steadfast in its mission to empower communities with accurate health information and resources that meet their needs to reach better health outcomes.