Building unity to increase access and improve quality of city services.

Its transformational population health approach focuses on social determinants: the broad, underlying reasons that some individuals are more at risk than others for behavioral health concerns. This approach allows DBHIDS to reach people before a behavioral health crisis arises and work toward eliminating stigma and health disparities among different groups.

Since 2016, Sage has worked to provide support to extend DBHIDS’ brand, raise greater awareness about the department’s population health approach, and improve internal communications around the department’s strategy for the coming years. Much of our work has been based on internal and external perceptions research, including stakeholder interviews, a series of focus groups, and working sessions that have brought together DBHIDS staff and partners.

Our research contributed significantly to a strategic planning process that led to a new strategic framework. Sage created the branding and name for the framework document: P.A.C.E. (Prioritizing to Address our Changing Environment.) The launch was supported by a video, digital recommendations, and other collateral to help communicate the process to staff as well as external audiences.

As we continue our work with DBHIDS, our ongoing objective is to identify and create new ways to integrate population health messages into existing work and to help unite all six divisions of DBHIDS to build a more comprehensive and cohesive brand.