Introduction
Communicating with the public is crucial for responding effectively to public health emergencies, such as extreme weather events, wildfires, and outbreaks of infectious diseases. Increasing, protracted, and overlapping crises are placing unprecedented strain on the public health communication infrastructure (Alfonso et al., 2021; Hartwell et al., 2023; Sutton et al., 2021). A robust communication infrastructure is critical for enabling effective and efficient information flow and response coordination, as well as mobilizing local assets and external resources in times of emergency. Essential components of such infrastructure include (1) established formal and informal community communication networks and channels, (2) active systems for monitoring information flow from an emergency, and (3) a variety of channels to reach and engage all members and stakeholders in a community. Although the public is sometimes thought of as one entity, it is really an overlapping set of diverse groups, which have had very different historical experiences and relationships with public health authorities. Each group is likely to pay attention to and find credible very different public health communicators. No single decision-maker or institution is likely to know enough, or be credible enough, to successfully communicate with a highly diverse public. Cross-sector collaborative relationships are essential for designing and implementing an effective approach to communication (Levine, 2024).
Examples of events that can affect a widely dispersed and diverse public include the June 2025 heatwave, which affected more than 150 million Americans,6 as well as widespread flooding and stronger hurricanes. To meet these widespread challenges, it is necessary to invest in public health communication systems that are sustainable and built on strong collaborations across levels of government and sectors. However, many state and local agencies face significant capacity and resource constraints, making it more challenging to initiate and sustain collaborative relationships.
This rapid expert consultation examines why and how to build strategic collaborative relationships that contribute vital infrastructure for communicating with the public during public health emergencies.7 The information provided is targeted to state and local public health leaders, emergency response officials, communications staff, community organizations, and support partners. It provides practical strategies for initiating and strengthening collaboration in public health communication, with attention to assessing what kind of collaboration is needed, initiating that collaboration, tending to the quality of the relationship, and coordinating effectively among collaborating partners. Taken together, these strategies can serve as the groundwork for long-term sustainability, adaptability, and crisis readiness, ensuring clear and reliable communication to the public that addresses the full range of challenges faced by communities during emergencies and reaches all populations, especially those at greatest risk in times of crisis.
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6 See https://apnews.com/article/extreme-heat-new-york-city-fc6f3e60a868b5a5f615e3408c0d05fb
7 The full statement of task states: “The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will produce a rapid expert consultation on approaches to foster partnerships and collaborations that serve as vital infrastructure for communicating to and with the public during public health emergencies such as extreme weather events, disease outbreaks, or other urgent crises. The consultation will highlight the challenges that local public health departments face in engaging diverse communities and stakeholders. These challenges are compounded by the fact that public health communication responsibilities remain largely decentralized. It will highlight approaches to support collaboration across agencies, organizations, and communities to ensure effective communication during crises. The consultation will examine:
- Community engagement strategies and governance structures that enable cross-sector partnerships and collaborative decision-making.
- Factors likely to contribute to building sustainable, effective and mutually beneficial collaborations.
- Models and approaches for building collaborations and partnerships that support functions critical for communicating during public health emergencies, including models that leverage existing partnerships, channels, systems, and infrastructure.
Drawing on interdisciplinary research from risk communication and decision science, public health communication, community engagement, communication and media science, public administration and emergency management, psychology, and implementation science, this rapid expert consultation will identify actionable insights on conditions that enable successful collaborations to support public health communication. The rapid expert consultation will be designed for timely, practical use by decision-makers but will not make recommendations. It will be reviewed in accordance with institutional guidelines.”
