Page 23 - 2021 MHA Start-up Guide

Ongoing engagement
Community engagement doesn’t end once your vehicle hits the road for the first time. It’s an
ongoing process of outreach, feedback and improvement — that’s how you build and maintain
trust .

Once your program launches, your staff will be very busy; it may be easy to miss small but criti-
cal issues within the service model. Maybe clients are rushed through intake too quickly. Maybe
they’re put off by signage that indicates sensitive or stigmatized services like HIV testing. Re-
member, their experience isn’t limited to the medical treatment they receive, but also ease of ac-
cess, security, service hours, friendliness of staff, facility cleanliness and inclusivity of outreach.

Surveys and feedback-friendly intake forms are the easiest way to collect client experience in-
formation, but open houses are also a great way to introduce yourself to the neighborhood while
gathering valuable data. Be sure to also include questions that will help you measure impact
— for example, where would they have sought medical attention were your program not avail-
able? Remember to ensure various language needs are properly recognized.

Clients aren’t the only people you should engage on an ongoing basis . In the next section we’ll
discuss the importance of measuring and reporting on your program’s impact to partners and
funders .

MOBILE HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION 21