Developing a public information and community relations strategy in a county social service agency.

This case study documents the innovative efforts of a county social service agency in California to address its capacity to gather and disseminate information relevant to its mission and the needs of the community. Based on in-depth interviews and focus groups with representatives of model public information (PI) programs and local community-based organizations, senior county staff, and local opinion leaders, five key elements of an effective PI program were identified and include: (1) establishing a formal PI function, (2) strengthening internal communication, (3) developing external communications infrastructure and strategy, (4) expanding community relationships, and (5) implementing multiple communication strategies.