Dear OPRA Member,

 

OPRA has the opportunity to offer Crisis Communications training and planning to our members at a discounted rate.

Crisis communications is a public relations strategy used to protect your organization’s reputation in a crisis, especially if the crisis is caused by your organization’s negligence. The training and planning would be provided by Ashire Communications, which has worked for years with organizations that serve people with developmental disabilities.

The potential benefits to you and your organization go beyond being prepared for a crisis. During this process, you will learn how to handle news interviews and news conferences. You also might discover weaknesses in your organizational communications practices and where your organization is vulnerable.

The process will require an investment of the time of some of your senior leaders – four to six sessions -- as well as some work between sessions.

This process has four main steps:

1.     Training your senior leaders in crisis communications;

2.     Training your senior leaders for news interviews and news conferences;

3.     Developing a written crisis communications plan, drafted specifically for your organization with your help;

4.     Participating in a crisis communications drill to test your ability to respond.

To save costs, we think the process would work best by having group training – steps 1 and 2 -- in Columbus or a central location in your OPRA district. Step 3 could be done anywhere. Step 4 would be customized for your organization, so it would need to be done at your facility.

Ohio Valley Residential Services in Cincinnati, an OPRA member, completed the crisis communications planning and training process. OVRS Executive Director Jamie Steele, OPRA’s vice chairperson, called the process “fantastic and unique” and encourages all OPRA members to be prepared for a crisis in the same way.

Before offering this to our members, OPRA would like to gauge your interest. Please take a moment to respond to the questions below. Forward your response directly to me at aallen@opra.org

 

Do not hit reply.

 

·        Are you interested in this service?  ______Yes

______No

 

·        If yes, where would you prefer the training sessions be offered?               _________Columbus

__________My OPRA district

__________My organization’s offices

 

 

Thanks! We look forward to your feedback.

 

Anita Allen

Vice President

Ohio Provider Resource Association

1152 Goodale Blvd

Columbus  OH    43212

614-224-6772 x110

614-655-0170 direct

614-224-3340 fax

The Trusted Voice for Providers Serving Ohioans with Disabilities for over 40 Years.