The practical question
Build the smallest truthful version, then earn expansion.
Use this page as a controlled working guide. Adapt language and activities to the population, verify local resources, assign ownership, and preserve the clinical and life-safety boundaries described throughout the model.
Implementation 05
SEC-41Public communication: tell the truth without shrinking the vision
Community trust is built when language is clear about what the program does, who it serves, what is active, what is planned, what evidence exists, and where clinical or emergency care belongs. Hope does not require exaggeration.
Claim discipline
| Claim area | Acceptable framing | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Program status | Active, pilot, planned, under development, paused, or available by referral. | Presenting a future service as currently operating. |
| Clinical scope | Education, prevention, peer support, treatment, or navigation named accurately by service and credential. | Implying community programming is therapy or medical care. |
| Outcomes | “Participants reported…” or “X of Y completed…” with timeframe and limitations. | Guaranteed transformation, cure, or unsupported causal claims. |
| Partnership | Partner role and written commitment described precisely. | Using another organization’s name as implied endorsement. |
| Accreditation | Exact organization, program scope, term, and current status. | Extending accreditation to unrelated programs or entities. |
| Images and stories | Authorized, dignified, contextually accurate representation. | Poverty spectacle, staged crisis, or identifying participant content without permission. |
Public-material review
BPTC-W-026Planning worksheet — not a record of service