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| This initiative is a project of the National Human Services Assembly and is generously funded by The Kresge Foundation.
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| The Annie E. Casey Foundation Maximizes Reframing Impact with Press Releases
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| Published annually for the last thirty years, “KIDS COUNT provides legislators, public officials and child advocates with reliable data, policy recommendations and tools to advance policies that benefit children.” In presenting the wealth of data, the 2019 report and press release use several reframing strategies. For instance, the KIDS COUNT press release does a nice job of summarizing the report’s main points by taking a page from the reframing playbook in describing:
- What’s at stake? The first paragraph of the press release uses the Value of Human Potential to establish why the public should care about child well-being.
- What does it take? The release explains “we have the data, knowledge and evidence to create the policies that will help them realize [unlimited potential].”
- What gets in the way? A practical and explanatory tone notes how child well-being can be disrupted by factors such as poverty, lack of health insurance and low birth weight.
- What is the scope of the challenge? The data in the release are interpreted and placed into context, providing the public with a productive understanding of obstacles to well-being.
- What can we do about it? Rather than leaving its audience feeling overwhelmed by the scope of the problems, the report identifies specific policy solutions — such as expanding access to Medicaid — to address the key challenges.
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| Read the 2019 KIDS COUNT Data Book
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| AECF's KIDS COUNT state partners also consistently relied on reframing in their state-specific KIDS COUNT Report press releases. The value of applying reframing language and strategies in the press releases becomes clear in reviewing local news stories that echo the report’s findings for specific states. The media uptake of release language and the consistency of its messages are apparent. Like the releases, local media outlets’ articles about the report:
- Describe what children need to have from society to thrive, as identified by AECF (e.g., “four domains — health, education, economic well-being and family and community — that represent the supports children need most to thrive”)
- Explain what disrupts child well-being, including systemic problems (e.g., “economic downturns” and “opioid epidemic”)
- Provide AECF’s state data — both positive and negative, improvements and failings — in context over time and compared to other states and the nation
- Offer AECF’s specific policy solutions for implementation (e.g., “Ensure the 2020 census counts all children”)
Some articles even use the terms full potential and thrive. The press releases and resulting media coverage that mimic the releases are a testament to the importance and value of crafting a well-framed press release.
Please send your reframed press releases to Bridget Gavaghan, National Reframing Initiative Director.
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| SPOTLIGHT
National Assembly Launches PolicySource
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Last week, the National Human Services Assembly unveiled its latest resource, PolicySource, an innovative tool to inform the human service sector, and general public, about federal legislation impacting youth, families, people with disabilities, older adults, and the sector. PolicySource provides access to over 300 bills organized into those five overarching categories and across 80 sub-issues. The new site has been curated to highlight the most relevant bills, promote effective coalition building, foster collaborative advocacy, and increase communications to Members of Congress. With access to custom bill summaries, talking points, the National Assembly’s position and priority level, and a module that allows visitors to contact their Senators and Representatives, users can effectively communicate the importance of passing legislation that reflects the policy goals of the National Assembly and the broader human service sector. Development of the tool was funded by The Kresge Foundation, and the platform is powered by Quorum. Read the press release and try PolicySource today!
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We have a robust set of free tools to better equip you integrating this new narrative into your communications strategies.
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Contact Us
For more information on how your organization can join the reframing mobilization, or for any questions about this newsletter or the online tools or website information, please contact the Initiative's Director, Bridget Gavaghan at bgavaghan@nassembly.org.
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