Form Discussion Guide Discussion Guide Discussion Guide

Attachment 3

SAMHSA Agency-wide Strategic Communication Plan:

Key Informant Interview Guide

OMB No. 0930-0196

Expiration Date: 9/30/2019

Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this project is 0930-0196. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes per respondent, per year, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15E57B Rockville, Maryland, 20857.

Background

The following is the interview guide for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) interviews to inform the agency’s Communication Strategy. We have developed a list of traditional and innovative organizations, including organizations that have not collaborated with SAMHSA but have common missions and reach to the agency’s audiences, and that represent service providers, public/consumer audiences, government/policymakers, and businesses/insurance and quality providers. We will interview approximately 79 organizations.

The interview objectives are to understand what information these organizations want and need about behavioral health and how SAMHSA can communicate most effectively with them. The interviews will:

• Discover what information, products, and services these organizations want regarding behavioral health that SAMHSA could provide;

• Determine familiarity with SAMHSA and experience with its product/services and communications;

• Learn how SAMHSA can best reach them through identifying their communications channel preferences; and

• Seek recommendations on how SAMHSA can more effectively meet their needs.

We will identify points of contact among the leadership involved with behavioral health issues at each organization. SAMHSA will send a letter/email to the contact requesting their participation in a 30-minute interview. Contract staff will follow up with the contact to schedule and conduct the interviews. It is anticipated that the interviews will take place by phone. Information from the interviews will be kept private; names will not be associated with the information provided. Upon completion of all interviews, a summary report will be prepared analyzing the interview results for agency use in formulating its communications activities.

1. Introduction

Thank you for your time today and agreeing to participate in this interview. My name is [insert name] and I am from Crosby Marketing, a research and communication consulting firm working with the federal government. We are interviewing leadership from many different organizations to inform the planning of a communication strategy for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the public health agency charged with advancing the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA accomplishes this through partnership, policies and programs that build resilience or facilitate recovery for people with, or at risk for, mental health and/or substance use disorders. Behavioral health refers to problems that include substance abuse or misuse, alcohol and drug addiction, serious psychological distress, suicide, and mental and substance use disorders (Source: SAMHSA web site- Leading Change: A Plan for SAMHSA’s Roles and Actions 2011-2014). Specifically, we would appreciate your input on several areas:

• To discover where you and your [organization/agency] seek information, products and services around behavioral health topics;

• To learn about your experience with SAMHSA’s and other organizations’ and agencies’ products, services and communications;

• To identify what information, products and services you need and your preferred communication channels; and

• To seek recommendations on how SAMHSA can best meet your informational needs.

Your responses will be recorded in our notes and used in a summary report to the agency. All responses will be kept private; your name will not be referenced with your responses. The summary report will be used as an internal report only.

I anticipate this discussion will take about 30 minutes. Does this scheduled time to talk still work for you? [If “yes,” continue; if “no,” reschedule] Let’s begin.

1. How long have you been with your [organization/agency]?

2. What is your role with the organization?

2. Behavioral Health and Your Organization

1. What do you see as greatest areas of need when it comes to behavioral health issues? Why? Is anyone addressing them?

2. What do you see as missing from these efforts?

3. What do you think are the biggest issues in behavioral health that will affect your organization over the next five years? [Probe: In what ways, if any, do you feel the recent legislations that are relevant to your work might impact your organization?]

3. Sources of Information about Behavioral Health

1. What organizations come to mind when you seek behavioral health information and what types of information do you seek? [Probe: materials and information for providers/consumers, e.g., reports, websites, products, data, best practices]? [Probe for 3 or more]

__________________

__________________

__________________

2. What federal agencies provide optimal behavioral health communication resources that your organization uses? Why? [Probe: what types of products/resources from that agency do you use?]

4. Familiarity and Satisfaction with SAMHSA Products and Communications

For the next few questions, I’d like to focus on SAMHSA. SAMHSA is a federal government agency that works to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities. (Source: SAMHSA Website-About Us/Mission/Vision)

1. If not mentioned in 3b: Are you familiar with SAMHSA?

2. IF YES and if SAMHSA is mentioned in 3b, ASK: When I say “SAMHSA” what words, phrase or adjectives come to mind? Why? What makes you say that?

3. How would you describe the work that SAMHSA does?

4. What is your opinion regarding effectiveness of communication programs developed by SAMHSA? Why?

5. What efforts stand out in your mind? Why? What do you see as areas for improvement? Why?

6. What information, products and services does SAMHSA provide that help you in your behavioral health related work? [If none, SKIP to Q4b]

1. How useful do you find these products/information? Please rate them as either very useful, somewhat useful, not very useful or, not at all useful.

1. If positive, what they do well? [Probe: language, useful content, easy to understand, etc.]

2. If negative, what they could improve?

3. Is there anything SAMHSA can do with its formatting, presentation of information, etc. that would be effective in supporting your program efforts?

7. What resources would you like SAMHSA to develop for you and/or your audiences/constituents? [Probe: What kind of information do you need? For what purposes? For which audiences?]

5. Preferred Communication Channels

1. Do you currently receive information or communication from SAMHSA?

1. Yes [Go on to 5b]

2. No [Skip to Q6]

2. How do you currently receive information about SAMHSA’s activities and products/services that may be of interest to your organization? Check off on the list below; Probe, but DO NOT READ:

   1. SAMHSA Eblasts

   2. Press Releases

3. SAMHSA News

4. SAMHSA Headlines

5. Targeted emails and other communication specifically aimed at you or your organization directly from SAMHSA staff

6. Presentations/exhibits at conferences/meetings

7. Websites of other organizations (name)

8. Trade newsletters (Mental Health Weekly, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Weekly)

9. Blogs (SAMHSA blog?)

10. Facebook

11. Twitter

12. You Tube

3. How do you use the information you get from SAMHSA? [Probe: Do you pass along the information to others? To whom and how?]

4. What’s the best way to let you know about new information, products, and services that may be of interest?

6. Close/Thank you

1. What ideas can you recommend for SAMHSA to reach a larger audience with its information/products/services about behavioral health? [Probe: media, advocacy or community organizations, social media partners, etc.; if not already]

2. If you could deliver one message to the organization’s leadership, what would it be?

3. Would you recommend any other organizations that I should contact?

4. Is there anything I haven’t covered that you would like SAMHSA to know about behavioral health communications?

Thank you and if you would like more information or have additional comments, please email or call me.

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