THE CHALLENGE:
Parents and caregivers often struggle to effectively support, communicate with, and connect with their children, especially teenagers. These challenges are even more pronounced in diverse communities where language barriers, limited access to health information, and time constraints create additional obstacles. Recognizing these difficulties, The Idea Marketing has partnered with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) since 2016 to launch, manage, and optimize a statewide initiative aimed at empowering parents and caregivers. The goal was to provide them with the tools needed to better support their children and prevent risky behaviors.
THE SOLUTION:
Initially, informational sessions were held in schools across the state, offering parents in-person guidance in both English and Spanish. These sessions included information and role-playing exercises to help parents navigate conversations with their children. However, realizing that many parents—particularly from BIPOC, rural, and low-income communities—could not attend these sessions due to time constraints, a more accessible solution was needed.
The Idea Marketing team developed a bilingual, educational text messaging program, designed to reach parents and caregivers directly through their cell phones. This program delivers weekly tips with links to additional resources on critical topics such as adolescent development, mental health, substance use, and communication techniques.
TURNING PARENT EDUCATION INTO A CONVERSATION VIA TEXT
Beyond providing information, the platform also serves as a two-way communication outlet, allowing parents to ask questions and receive personalized responses in English or Spanish through a Helpdesk. To further support parents, a “Mail Bag” feature invites subscribers to submit questions, which are answered and shared with the entire user base.
To enroll parents and caregivers in the platform, grassroots efforts were implemented through partnerships with over 200 schools and 70 organizations. A parent ambassador initiative also played a crucial role by enrolling their peers at school and community events. To further extend the campaign’s reach, multiple touchpoints were added, including social media outreach that encouraged parents in both private and public Facebook groups to join the platform. Additionally, digital and social media paid advertising campaigns were launched to further expand enrollment efforts.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT FOR BETTER PARENT EDUCATION
As of November 2024, this educational text platform engages over 8,500 parents weekly and has delivered over 1.6 million messages since its inception. A 2024 survey showed that 91% of users found the content relevant and helpful, underscoring the program’s success in reaching and supporting families statewide.
MORE GREAT IDEAS
