New York State Department of Health
(NYS DOH)

Location

New York State high schools in 17 counties across the state

Situation

In 2014, the New York State Department of Health/Health Research Incorporated issued a competitive procurement for regional Rape Prevention and Education centers to apply for funds to support their sexual violence prevention efforts. Contracts with six centers were executed to serve 17 counties with the highest risk for sexual violence. Contractors were given the option to implement sexual violence prevention that was focused on Healthy Nightlife, Healthy Schools, Healthy Sports or Healthy Neighborhoods.

Within each initiative, the goal of the RPE Program was to expand from a focus on health education curriculum to influencing policy and environment, and developing social marketing campaigns, for a more comprehensive, community-level approach to prevention. This expanded scope raised the concern of regional center providers of the need for additional skills and capacity. Many regional center staff are only fractionally committed to this initiative with ~80% of their efforts spent elsewhere. To succeed in affecting policy or environmental conditions, and developing effective social marketing campaigns, additional expertise and resources would be needed.

In 2020, the New York State DOH RPE Program Coordinator attended a CDC presentation and learned more about Soteria Solutions and their evidenced-based solutions. As the New York State DOH looked to develop a state-wide strategy, they contacted Soteria Solutions to discuss how their Know Your Power® High School program could be adapted to assist the regional centers in reaching the targeted high school students. Soteria Solutions would adapt the solution and provide the training and support to the regional centers. Additionally, CAI, Inc. had been retained to provide the DOH Regional Centers with technical assistance in working with their high school partners.

Soteria Solutions

Know Your Power High School and Consultation Services

Soteria Solutions completed a multi-phase project, including consulting services, to adapt Know Your Power® High School to foster a culture of respect, fairness and inclusivity, targeting high school students in 17 counties across New York.

The customization of KYP High School for New York and associated consulting services included the following phases:

Phase 1 – Readiness

This phase included developing materials and conducting meetings to ensure Regional Centers’ readiness to coordinate focus groups and regular update meetings with CAI, Inc. and DOH staff. Soteria Solutions met with relevant stakeholders and created handouts to make sure everyone understood the process and timeline.

Phase 2 – Focus Group to Develop Customized Scenarios

To develop scenarios for the KYP High School posters and social media campaigns, focus groups were conducted to capture input from students and an additional focus group of prevention staff members. Careful attention was paid to capturing realistic scenarios, verbiage and the ability to present scenarios in English and Spanish. Soteria Solutions professionals facilitated five 60-minute focus groups; provided a written report of key findings and recommendations for scenarios and imagery for implementing KYP High School.

Phase 3 - Draft Images for Review by Focus Group Participants

The next phase of the engagement presented draft images to the focus group participants to solicit feedback on the draft images to be incorporated into the customized KYP High School campaigns for New York State. Draft images representing various scenarios were presented and a Qualtrics Survey was used to capture feedback.

In developing the draft images, special attention was paid to clothing and setting to ensure racial, gender and relationship diversity so images are reflective of the diverse high school students throughout the included 17 counties.

Additionally, images reflected best practices, evidence-based prevention and response strategies and Soteria Solutions existing, evidence-based prevention strategies.

Phase 4 – Production of Images for KYP High School for NYS<

With feedback from the high school students and prevention staff, final images were produced that would serve as the basis for the Know Your Power High School program for New York. The final imagery was incorporated into posters and social media images to maximize awareness and exposure to the targeted scenarios and behaviors for high school students to recognize situations and to know if and how to intervene. Great attention was paid to text, visuals, settings, clothing and colors based on focus group input and feedback. Examples included both outdoor lunch settings and indoor house party settings. The photos included students in uniform and kids wearing athletic clothing.

Phase 5 – Social Media Images

To optimize reach and awareness, Soteria Solutions created social media content based on focus group feedback and ideas. The images included basic bystander intervention definitions and scenarios as well as experiences unique to target audience members. The images were specifically created for optimization on various social media platforms. Images includes statistics on sexual assault and facts about bystander intervention with a mix of photographs and cartoon images.

Phase 6 – Know Your Power Implementation

To assist in effective implementation, Soteria Solutions created an implementation guide which included in detail how to build a campaign and plan for dissemination.

Campaign administration took place during a four to six week designated period, where both print and digital campaign images are posted to saturate the high schools. Professionally printed materials provided by Soteria Solutions enabled cohesive and professional materials including, but not limited to 11.5x17 inch posters, wall size posters, table tents placed in dining areas, signs in outdoor areas, bookmarks and full-size bus wraps. The posters included a QR code for students to easily provide feedback. Digital screens were displayed in common areas, including libraries, lounges, lobbies and computer login screens (where applicable).

Phase 7 - Evaluation

A process report was completed by Soteria Solutions which included evaluation of the rollout. The process was analyzed and follow-up with all stakeholders was completed to identify opportunities to improve the timing, which was the primary concern of the respondents.

Results

Evaluations have shown that Know Your Power campaign is effective in raising awareness of the problems of sexual assault and harassment, relationship violence, stalking, and in increasing knowledge of how to safely intervene and the willingness and likelihood that bystanders will intervene when sexual harassment and assault occur. Target-audience members who reported recognizing themselves, their friends and the context also reported greater willingness to intervene than those who did not. The Know Your Power images model “what is right” and how community members can support and help each other.

While initial evaluations showed effectiveness, the campaigns have not been implemented at the high schools. Currently, the NYS DOH is preparing to launch the imagery and messages via a state-wide social media campaign on Facebook and Instagram, to reach the targeted high school audience and their parents. Plans are being evaluated to display the campaign messaging at other community level locations outside the schools to reach the high school age audience.