The Center for Mental Health Implementation Support (CMHIS) partners with organizations and systems to plan, launch, and strengthen programs from start to finish. Through our regional hubs, we provide tailored technical assistance across eight core implementation topics, including communication strategy and social marketing.  

The Resource & eMpowerment Technical Assistance Center for Behavioral Health (RMTAC) — a national SAMHSA-funded center, supporting behavioral health professionals who serve refugees, asylum seekers, and resettlement communities — partnered with the Southwestern Plains Hub of CMHIS to strengthen their communications strategy and expand their reach.

RMTAC came to the Hub with a strong foundation: an established website, a consistent newsletter, and active social media channels. They also had a clear goal: deepen engagement and grow participation in their Learning Hub so more providers could benefit from their services. 

The opportunity was not to start from scratch, but to strengthen systems that would help their work reach more providers more consistently.

How Targeted Technical Assistance Accelerated Progress

Over six weeks, the Southwestern Plains Hub provided intensive, communications-focused TA designed to amplify the impact of RMTAC’s work. With five collaborative sessions, customized resources, and hands-on feedback, the RMTAC team strengthened their communication systems and saw immediate improvements in clarity, consistency, and engagement that they can sustain over time.

As one RMTAC team member shared, “Their openness to feedback and collaborative approach allowed us to shape and create spaces that truly resonate with our audience.”

Together, we focused on:

• Sharpening audience-centered messaging so RMTAC’s expertise reached the people who needed it most
• Designing more strategic email outreach, resulting in clearer messaging and stronger calls-to-action  
• Strengthening website and social media alignment so RMTAC’s mission was communicated consistently across platforms  

Highlights from the TA Sessions

Session 1: Audience-Centered Messaging

We began by grounding the work in audience-centered messaging. Instead of jumping straight into tactics or platforms, we focused on questions about who RMTAC was trying to reach, what those providers needed, and what clear action RMTAC was asking them to take.

Audience-centered communication is about shifting the focus from what an organization wants to say to what the audience needs to hear. The question the organization needs to ask themselves in creating the message is, “Why does my audience care about this?”

As pre-work, we asked RMTAC to draft an audience persona that outlined their audience’s needs, challenges, and how RMTAC fits into their work. This exercise helped the team picture a real person and speak to that person consistently across emails, social posts, and website calls-to-action.

During the session, we reviewed:

• The audience-centered messaging framework
• How messages shift across channels
• Internal workflows that supported consistent communication

Session 2: Content Calendar Planning

In this session, we discussed how a content calendar can support alignment, consistency, and sustainability—reducing reactive posting while making collaboration easier. Building on their existing calendar, RMTAC adopted new content pillars that reflect their mission and allow for more balanced, strategic storytelling beyond event promotion. This gave the team a clear roadmap for sustained visibility and outreach.

Session 3: Email Outreach Strategy

Rather than rewriting copy line-by-line, we focused on strengthening the system behind the email strategy. This included:

• Interpreting email analytics
• Newsletter layout and hierarchy
• Subject lines and call-to-actions (CTAs)
• Email frequency and cadence

As a result, RMTAC redesigned their newsletter, refined their messaging, and established a more intentional email cadence that keeps readers informed and engaged. 

Session 4: Social Media Strategy

RMTAC had an active presence on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. This session focused on amplifying their messaging across platforms by:

• Tailoring captions by platform
• Using the content pillars we identified in session 2
• Participating in trends and online conversations in thoughtful, relevant ways

We reviewed how the same message can be adapted across platforms to better meet audiences where they are and shared key metrics to track so the team could assess what was working and continue iterating.

Session 5: Website Strategy, Crisis Communications and Post-event Marketing

In the final session, we reviewed ways to make RMTAC’s website more user friendly and accessible to help new and returning users easily find events and access resources that interest them.

We focused on: 

• Design and content hierarchy
• Clear, accessible CTAs
• Improving user navigation

Because website updates are often a longer-term effort, we discussed a phased approach to make the changes over time from short-term updates (CTAs and grammar) to long-term goals like adding a search bar and SEO optimization. 

This session also included:

• A brief crisis communications plan with sample responses for de-escalating hostile interactions
• A post-event marketing checklist to help RMTAC stay connected and visible after events

The Impact of Intensive Technical Assistance

Through this collaboration, RMTAC strengthened the tools and strategies they use to tell their story and reach the providers they serve. The work shows how intentional communication can strengthen partnerships, expand access to resources, and support long-term impact.

Reflecting on the experience, one program leader noted, “The information provided was both timely and highly relevant, aligning seamlessly with the current maturity and strategic direction of the program I support. CMHIS’s professionalism and presentation were exemplary—thoughtfully delivered, deeply appreciated, and a clear reflection of their commitment to excellence.”

At the Southwestern Plains Hub of CMHIS, we believe implementation doesn’t stop with evidence—it grows through connection. Our work with RMTAC demonstrates how communication can turn knowledge into action and support sustainable, community-centered change.

Interested in communications-focused TA? Request support from the Southwestern Plains Hub to learn how we can support your implementation goals.

Key Takeaways

• Audience-centered messaging drives engagement. Clarifying who the audience is and what they need creates a strong foundation for emails, social media, and website content.
• Strategy matters as much as content. Improving systems—like content calendars, email structure, and analytics—can be more impactful than rewriting copy alone.
• Consistency builds trust and visibility. Content pillars and planning tools help teams stay aligned, reduce reactive posting, and reinforce key messages over time.
• Channels require different approaches. Tailoring messaging by platform increases reach and helps organizations meet audiences where they are.
• Communication supports sustainability. Clear calls-to-action, post-event follow-up, and crisis communication planning strengthen long-term impact and relationships.