COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Committee Chairs:
Renee Gaudette and Marion Morra
A creative, well-organized communications program is essential to the success of the Connecticut Cancer Partnership and the Connecticut Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan. To implement the strategies in the Plan successfully, many diverse audiences need to be reached with information.
A Communications Committee, made up of experts in the fields of public relations and communications, is working collaboratively with other Partnership committees to support their communications needs and to ensure that these needs are met in a structured, orderly manner.
Communications, Education and Training
A creative, well-organized communications program targeted to reach specific audiences -- patients, health professionals, present and new partners, policy makers, state leaders, public agencies and organizations, disadvantaged populations, and the public and the private sectors -- is essential to the success of the Connecticut Cancer Partnership and itsConnecticut Cancer Plan 2009-2013.
The role of the Communications Committee, comprising experts in public relations, marketing, training, and communications, is to work collaboratively with other Partnership committees to support their communications needs in a structured, orderly manner.
Goal: Provide an active, coordinated communications program that will raise awareness about the Connecticut Cancer Plan 2009-2013 and the Partnership for a wide variety of audiences.
In developing new approaches for the Connecticut Cancer Plan 2009-2013, the Communications Committee focused on five areas:
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Communicating with existing partners
Regular and effective communication with Partnership members is essential to obtaining the greatest participation in the work of the Partnership and Plan implementation. In 2005-2008, several channels of communicating information about the Partnership and the Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan 2005-2008 were developed, including a web site, a quarterly newsletter, fact sheets, slide presentations, briefings for legislators, and a speakers’ bureau. These methods of communication, while effective, would benefit from refinement, enhancement, and professional management. -
Presenting the new Connecticut Cancer Plan 2009-2013 to the public and major target audiences
The new Plan creates a unique opportunity to communicate the new goals and objectives to all audiences. -
Collaborating with Partnership Committees to communicate implementation activities to specific audiences
There is a need to keep diverse audiences apprised of the Partnership, the Plan and its progress on implementation. Many of the funded implementation activities have educational or promotional components, such as increasing public awareness and recruiting participants for projects, which would will benefit from coordination with assistance and expertise from the Communications Committee. -
Exploring new communications technologies to support Partnership efforts
Communications technologies and new delivery models such as social media, Web 2.0, blogs, and podcasts affect how information is delivered and received and how constituents are reached and engaged. In this rapidly changing field, it is essential for the Communications Committee to explore new avenues, channels, and delivery methods. -
Coordinating and supporting education and training needs of Partnership committees.
Increasing the knowledge of health care professionals and populations at risk for or living with cancer is vital to achieving the Plan objectives. Whether the information is about clinical trials, screening, risk factors, or available services and making choices, healthcare professionals and the general population benefit by having the most current and accurate information available. The Communications Committee convened an education and training subcommittee to support, as needed, education and training implementation activities of the Partnership’s committees.
Click on the link below to download the Communications, Education, and Training chapter of the Connecticut Cancer Plan.
Cross Cutting Activities and Support: Communications, Education, and Training
