corporate style guide a a - laura c. watkins · 2018. 5. 9. · at beacon health options, ... tele...

Beacon Health Options

Aa CORPORATE

Style Guide

revised 4.1.18

2

At Beacon Health Options, we start the conversations that matter.

As the leading voice in behavioral health and wellness solutions today, Beacon Health

Options (Beacon) should deliver clear and consistent communications. Everything we write

for Beacon—newsletters, press releases, blog posts, presentations, brochures, corporate

emails, proposals, and anything in between—should speak for us as a unified company.

The Beacon Health Options Corporate Style Guide was developed to ensure consistency

and clarity within our written communications, allowing us to better extend our message

to a broad audience of members, providers, clients, industry stakeholders, and fellow

employees. Use these guidelines for both internal and external communications written

on behalf of Beacon.

This style guide was developed using The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook as a resource,

with most guidelines following AP style. However, there are some instances where

Beacon usage differs from AP style. In these cases, Beacon’s style should prevail.

Because this guide is designed to be a universal resource and not a comprehensive list,

there may be instances where a specific style rule is not outlined. In these cases, default

to AP Style. If you don’t have access to a recent copy of The Associated Press Stylebook,

many AP style rules and resources can be found by searching online.

Please note that while this guide outlines Beacon’s default style rules, certain clients and

contracts may have their own unique style rules that we are required to follow. When

writing to a specific agency, pay close attention to mandatory marketing or writing

guidelines. Additionally, some of Beacon’s internal departments may follow their own

established style guides (for example, Proposals). Always check with your supervisor if

you are unsure of which guidelines to use.

If you have any questions about the Beacon Health Options Corporate Style Guide, our

Marketing and Communications team is always available to assist you at

[email protected].

3

Our Visual Identity 4

Logo 4

Fonts 6

Colors 6

Photography 7

BRANDING STYLE GUIDELINES

academic degrees 8

apostrophes 8

acronyms 9

Beacon Health Options 10

behavioral health vs. mental health 10

bulleted lists 11

calendar designations 11

capitalization 11

co-insurance 12

co-locate(d) 12

colons 12

commas 12

company names 13

comorbid(ity) 13

contractions 13

co-occurring 13

countries 14

dates 14

department names 14

disabilities 14

disorders 14

drugs 15

ellipses 15

email 15

email signature 15

em dashes 16

en dashes 16

health care 16

HEDIS® 17

hyphens 17

internet 17

Jr., Sr./II, III 17

Medicaid, Medicare 17

mental health and substance use disorder (MHSUD) 18

names 18

nationalities and races 18

nonprofit 19

numbers 19

percentages 19

plurals 19

program and product names 20

quotation marks 21

regions/geographic locations 21

regions (Beacon) 21

registration mark 22

semicolons 22

service/engagement centers 22

social media 22

spacing 23

states 23

symbols (&, @) 24

tele (telehealth, telemental health, telemedicine, telepsychiatry, etc.) 24

telephone numbers 24

time designations 25

titles 25

underlining 26

veteran 26

web 26

website 26

well-being 27

Work/Life (work/life) 27

WRITING STYLE GUIDELINES

Cultural Competency 28

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) 28

Ethnicity versus Race 29

Disabilities 29

Audiological Disabilities 29

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 30

Visual Disabilities 30

Diseases, Disorders, Conditions and Drugs 30

Mental Health and Substance Use Language 30

Terminology for the People We Serve/ People-first Language 32

Health Literacy Guidelines and Reading Level Requirements 33

Health Literacy Guidelines 33

Reading Levels 34

Active vs. Passive Voice 34

LANGUAGE SENSITIVITY GUIDELINES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4Branding Style Guidelines

Left Justified Right Justified

HORIZONTAL LOGO / REVERSED VERTICAL LOGO / REVERSED

BRANDING STYLE GUIDELINES

Our Visual Identity

Logo When you use the Beacon Health Options logo, you’re showing you’re a part of a team. That team includes everyone from clinicians and doctors to claims and customer service representatives to facilities managers and technology experts.

Our end goal is one single brand—Beacon Health Options—for every part of our combined company regardless of prior sub-brand or geographic name. The Beacon Health Options logo will be the only one we will use. This builds and solidifies the name and mission of our company.

HORIZONTAL LOGO VERTICAL LOGO

“ The lighthouse represents a signal for safe navigation in the right direction.”

Left Justified Right Justified


IMPROPER USAGE


FontsMaterials that go through our corporate design team (like this style guide) will use the Gotham font, which is also included in the text part of our logo.

But for all other communications, we use Arial. It’s a clear and modern font that’s versatile enough to use in reports, presentations, and all of our day-to-day work. The use of Arial guarantees consistency, simplicity and readability, and it’s a choice that will never distract or confuse a reader.

GOTHAM / BOOK ARIAL / REGULARGOTHAM / BOLD

ColorsAt Beacon Health Options, our primary colors are those in our logo—blue and gray. We added some additional colors as highlights to add visual interest to our work.

We chose our colors for a reason. Blue is beneficial to the mind and body and has a calming effect. The shades of blue we use also indicate modern, technological innovation. These colors show in a visual way what it is that we do here at Beacon. The highlight colors are red, orange and green. Together they add energy, enthusiasm, and a nod to good health to our brand’s representation. Use these colors for PowerPoints, charts, graphs, or other Beacon materials.

Using the right colors for our brand reinforces what it stands for.”

PMS 298 CC 65M 10Y 1K 0

R 61G 181B 230

#3db5e6

PMS 539 CC 89M 73Y 56K 67

R 19G 31B 56

#081f2d

PMS 429 CC 38M 27Y 27K 0

R 163G 170B 174

#a3aaae

PMS 157 CC 3 M 43 Y 75K 0

R 240G 160B 85

#f0a055

PMS 7625 CC 3M 84Y 81K 1

R 232G 80B 62

#e8503e

PMS 7479 CC 70M 0Y 72K 0

R 0G 206B 125

#00ce7d


PhotographyWe built an image library that reflects the diversity of our members, employees and clients. The general images we chose echo our fundamental belief in resiliency and recovery. The individuals in the images are not in the throes of depression or another mental health event, but neither are they stock images of smiling happy people. Our membership faces a variety of challenges every day and we want our presentation of images to reflect that complicated reality. Behavioral health issues affect individuals in all walks of life, and to help grow an understanding of that diversity, we are thoughtful in our photo selections.

In specific cases, we may choose particular images to reflect the specific needs of a client, or unique circumstances, but the majority of our images represent the broad prevalence of behavioral health, as well as a wide range of communities, cultures, body types, and abilities.

8Writing Style Guidelines

WRITING STYLE GUIDELINES

academic degrees » When written out, use an apostrophe for bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, but not for

associate degree or doctoral degree. There is no apostrophe when listing the official title; for example, Master of Arts or Bachelor of Science.

» Only capitalize official degree names, such as Master of Business Administration. Lowercase general references like bachelor’s or master’s degree. When referencing an area of study with a degree, only capitalize if it’s a proper noun, such as English or French; general subjects like biology, education, and visual arts should be lowercase.

• Correct: master’s in accounting; Bachelor of Science in chemistry; bachelor’s degree in English literature

• Incorrect: master’s in Accounting; Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing

» It’s permissible to drop the word degree for general references—a bachelor’s of English. Never use degree after an official diploma title like Bachelor of Arts.

» While it’s preferable to avoid abbreviating degree names, it may be necessary when listing multiple individuals and their degrees in one place. To abbreviate, use acronyms with periods (B.A., M.F.A., Ph.D.).

apostrophes » Use apostrophes to indicate possession.

• Example: That is Burt’s wet dog.

» If the word ends in an s, the apostrophe is placed after the s.

• Example: That is not Lois’ wet dog. Beacon Health Options’ policy does not address wet dogs.

» The apostrophe also follows the s to indicate a plural (group) possession.

• Example: Those are the Care Managers’ handbooks.

» An apostrophe indicates a plural noun only if the noun has one letter.

• Yes: The system runs on four model p’s.

• No: There are two RN’s in the operating room.

• Yes: The RNs went to the operating room.

» Don’t use an apostrophe when making acronyms plural.

• Yes: IDs, CAFs • No: ID’s, CAF’s

» Don’t use an apostrophe when referring to years or decades, unless it’s possessive.

• Yes: The 1990s were a great decade for film.

• Yes: I know all about 1991’s

Oscar winners.• No: The 1990’s were a

great decade for film.

QUICK TIP

If you can replace “Beacon Health Options” with the word “our” in a sentence, Beacon Health Options should have an apostrophe:

Beacon Health Options’ (our) EAP is a 24-hour service.


acronyms » When appropriate, use the full term in the first reference.

Follow it with the abbreviated form or acronym in parentheses. There is no need to list an acronym (unless it is a necessary part of the description) if it will not be used again throughout the content piece.

• Example: On Monday afternoon, he contacted the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). He spoke with a NAMI official.

» For common acronyms, and acronyms that serve as a brand name, use the abbreviation from first usage onward.

• Examples:• Please find an ATM so you can withdraw cash.

(ATM = automatic teller machine, but spelling it out is not necessary)• My brother just started his new position at IBM.

(IBM = International Business Machines, but IBM is the company’s preferred name brand)

Below is a list of acronyms that you will likely encounter while working at Beacon Health Options:

ABA: applied behavioral analysis

ACA: Affordable Care Act

ACO: accountable care organization

AMA: American Medical Association

ASO: administrative services only or administrative service organization

BHO: behavioral health organization

BHS: Beacon Health Strategies (informal— only used in internal communications)

CCM: Clinical Care Manager

CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CMS: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

CPT® Code: Current Procedural Terminology

DHHS: Department of Health and Human Services

DSM-5: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition

EAP: employee assistance program

HEDIS®: Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (Note: acronym must be followed by a registered trademark symbol)

HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

HMO: health maintenance organization

HP: health plan

ICD-10: International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition

ICM: Intensive Case Management

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

MBHO: managed behavioral health organization

MCO: managed care organization

Remember that “BHO” should never be used as an acronym for Beacon Health Options. When abbreviating our company name, always use “Beacon” after the first instance:

Beacon Health Options (Beacon) is a specialty behavioral health company. Beacon serves individuals across all 50 states.


MH: mental health

MHSUD: mental health substance use disorder

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

NCQA: National Committee for Quality Assurance

NON-PAR: non-participating provider

OON: out of network

P4P: pay for performance

PPACA: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly called Affordable Care Act, or ACA)

PCP: primary care physician or primary care provider

PHI: protected health information

PII: personally identifiable information

PMPM: per member per month

PsyD: Doctor of Psychology

QA: quality assurance

QM: quality management

SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

SCA: single case agreement

SME: subject matter expert

SMI: serious mental illness

SOS: Stamp Out Stigma

SUD: substance use disorder

TPA: third-party administrator

UM: utilization management

UR: utilization review

URAC: Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (Note: always use acronym for this; never spell out)

WRAP®: Wellness Recovery Action Plan®

Some departments have established their own commonly used acronym lists. Please check with your department head to help clarify any questions you may have.

Beacon Health Options » When abbreviating our company name, always use “Beacon” after the first instance.

» Remember that “BHO” should never be used as an acronym for Beacon Health Options.

behavioral health vs. mental health » “Behavioral health” and “mental health” are often, and sometimes erroneously, used

interchangeably. Mental health care includes treatment for mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, as does behavioral health care. However, behavioral health care also includes ways of intervening in substance use disorders, opioid misuse, or other addictions. Therefore, behavioral health includes mental health, but not vice versa. Also, there may be those that believe that behavioral health is a less stigmatized description than mental health, but in many occasions the description proves to be inaccurate.


bulleted lists » Use a colon to introduce a bulleted list, then add one line before the first bullet.

» There are no line spaces between bullets.

» Capitalize the first letter of the first word of each bullet.

• Example: Beacon audits call documentation to ensure all incoming calls are managed with consistency and reliability. Audit items include verifying the:

• Caller’s identity• Caller’s relationship to the member• Name of the customer service representative handling the call

» When a list consists of one or more complete sentences, end each sentence with a period. Keep list organization parallel; if all bulleted items aren’t sentences, none should be.

» While periods are fine to use at the end of complete sentences in bulleted lists, avoid using commas or semicolons.

• Example: Single Case Agreement (SCA) requests are performed when:

• Beacon Health Options’ network facilities are full.• Clinical needs (for example, clinical specialty, language, culture, gender) can’t be met by

available network resources.

» Keep bulleted items in the same verb tense.

• Correct:

Job responsibilities include:• Bagging groceries• Stocking shelves• Assisting customers as needed

• Incorrect:

Job responsibilities include:• Bagging groceries• Stocked shelves• Assist customers as needed

calendar designations » Capitalize days of the week, months of the year, and religious and secular holidays.

• Examples: Monday, February, Christmas, Fourth of July

» Do not capitalize names of seasons, unless they are part of a proper name.

• Example: Though it was the middle of summer, Rose was counting down the days until the Winter Olympics.

capitalization » Capitalize all proper nouns, including names of companies, clients, and brands.

• Examples: Chevron, ADP, Humana, West Virginia Family Health Plan


» Do not capitalize common nouns (in other words, nouns that refer to a general object or idea).

• Example: The medical student is interested in pursuing oncology.

» Many commonly used terms in health care are not capitalized.

• Examples: mental health, substance use, health plan, clinician, autism, opioid, outpatient, federal, state

» Capitalize branches of the U.S. military and any related entities. Retain capitalization even if the U.S. is dropped.

• Examples: U.S. Army, the Air Force Academy, Navy commander, Marine Corps veteran

» For other capitalization rules, please consult specific sections of this style guide.

co-insurance » Use a hyphen.

co-locate(d) » Use a hyphen.

colons » Colons are used to introduce lists, tabulations, and excerpts of text.

» Use colons for bulleted or numbered lists after a paragraph.

» A colon shouldn’t be used after a heading or subheading, even if the following text is a list.

» Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence.

» Use one space after a colon.

commas » Use a comma before the and in a series of three or more

items, and before the conjunction in a simple series.

• Example: John is taking courses in math, dance, and philosophy this semester.

• Example: He spent more than 17 years at the high school as a music teacher and voice coach, and as director of the marching band, jazz ensemble, and chorus.

» If a sentence contains a complex series of words that includes other commas, use semicolons to separate them.

QUICK TIP

Beacon uses the serial comma, also called the Oxford comma. It makes sentences clearer by separating items that might otherwise be mistakenly grouped together. For example:

With: I invited my parents, Mildred, and Rodrigo. (Implies four separate people.)

Without: I invited my parents, Mildred and Rodrigo. (Implies two people—your parents, who are named Mildred and Rodrigo.)


• Example: The committee included Bernice Frankel, Director of Research; Rue Devereaux, Vice President of Production; and Betty Ludden, Assistant Baker.

» When a conjunction such as and or but links two clauses that could stand alone as separate sentences, use a comma before the conjunction. However, the comma may be omitted in simple sentences where the clauses are short and closely connected.

• Example: She entered the classroom, and the professor greeted her warmly.• Example: Dad played the guitar and Darcy sang.

» Use commas to offset nonessential elements such as dates, states, and supporting phrases.

• Example: Calvin Broadus, an accomplished poet, frequently promotes alternative medicine in his works.

• Example: On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to go to space.• Example: I’ve visited Lake Wobegon, MN, and Stars Hollow, CT.

company names » When writing a company name, adhere to that company’s specific marketing guidelines. Some

corporate entities will require you to use their full legal name, while others will not. For instance, Beacon Health Options never uses Inc. in any marketing materials.

» Unless otherwise specified by a company’s marketing guidelines, use a comma before Inc., LLC, and Ltd.

comorbid(ity) » Write as one word, no hyphen.

contractions » Contractions use an apostrophe to splice two words into one. For example, you are becomes you’re.

» The Federal Plain Language Guidelines recommend using contractions to enhance readability and make your writing more accessible to the reader. Use contractions wherever they sound natural—in other words, simply write as you speak.

» You may find it appropriate to forgo contractions when writing more formal communications (for example, research papers).

co-occurring » Use a hyphen.


countries » U.S. and U.K. may be abbreviated using periods, including instances where they stand alone;

spell out the names of all other countries.

dates » Write full dates in month-day-year format.

» Use the name of the month, rather than a numeric abbreviation. Spell out the full name of the month when it stands alone, or when it’s paired only with a year. When a month is paired with a specific day, abbreviate Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. Always use cardinal numbers for specific days, without st, nd, rd, or th.

• Correct: December; December 2018; Dec. 1; Dec. 1, 2018• Incorrect: Dec.; Dec. 2018; Dec. 1st; 1 December 2018; December 1, 2018; 12/1/18

» In charts or tables where it’s essential to save space, numeric date abbreviations may be used.

department names » Capitalize with or without the word department attached.

• Example: I used to be in the Finance Department, but now I work in Legal.

disabilities » Do not use the name of a disorder to describe individuals. People have disorders; they don’t

become disorders.

• Correct: My son was diagnosed with ADHD. • Incorrect: My son is ADHD.

» See Language Sensitivity – Disabilities for more specific rules and guidelines.

disorders » Mental illnesses or disorders are written in lowercase (for example, autism, anxiety, depression),

except when known by the name of a person or region, such as Down syndrome or West Nile virus.

» Mental illness or disorder acronyms are capitalized.

• Examples:• attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)• autism spectrum disorder (ASD)• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

» See Language Sensitivity – Diseases, Disorders, Conditions, and Drugs for more specific rules and guidelines.


drugs » Brand names are capitalized, but generic drug names are lowercase. For example, Lexapro is the

brand name for escitalopram.

» See Language Sensitivity – Diseases, Disorders, Conditions, and Drugs for more specific rules and guidelines.

Employee Assistance Program (employee assistance program) » Capitalize only when referring to Beacon’s product. Use lowercase when referring to the general

concept.

• Example: Many companies find value in offering an employee assistance program as part of their benefits. The Beacon Health Options Employee Assistance Program helps employees and their loved ones cope with life’s toughest obstacles.

ellipses » An ellipsis ( … ) is three periods together with space on either side.

• Correct: Well … we’ll see about that. • Incorrect: Well...we’ll see about that.

• Incorrect: Well . . . we’ll see about that.

» Use an ellipsis to show that you’ve omitted words—for instance, when shortening a quote.

• Example: • Beacon’s policy explicitly states that we

“prohibit wet dogs in the boardroom without exception, including on Fridays.”

• Beacon’s policy explicitly states that we “prohibit wet dogs in the boardroom … including on Fridays.”

» Never use ellipses to change the original meaning of a quote or sentence.

• Example: Beacon’s policy explicitly states we “prohibit wet dogs in the boardroom … on Fridays.”

» Ellipses can also be used in more informal communications to show a pause or a break in a train of thought. However, they are often unnecessary, so be careful not to overuse them. Too many ellipses can distract readers and make your writing sound less confident.

email » Email (no hyphen) is the preferred format, rather than

e-mail.

» Use a hyphen with other e- terms: e-book, e-newsletter, e-commerce

QUICK TIP

Choose Arial for your font. Stylize each line with the proper formatting listed below:

(Arial Bold / 10pt) Your Name (Arial Bold / 10pt) Your Title ––––––––––––––––––––––– (Arial Bold / 9pt) Beacon Health Options (Arial / 9pt) XXX Street Address (Arial / 9pt) City, State Zip Code (Arial / 9pt) Office: 000-000-0000 (Arial / 9pt) Cell: 000-000-0000 (Arial / 9pt) www.beaconhealthoptions.com


email signature » Your email signature should include your name, job

title, office address, phone number(s), and a link to the company website. (See sidebar to right for specific formatting.)

» To create your default signature in Outlook, select “New Email,” then select “Signature” on the menu bar. From here, you can set up your signature for internal and external emails.

» Format phone numbers with dashes (-). This format prompts mobile devices to generate a link to call your number directly or add you as a contact.

em dashes » The em dash (—), with no space before or after it, emphasizes a point with a pause, denotes an

abrupt change in thought, or signifies an interruption in dialogue.

• Example: If the participant’s issues fall outside of the scope of the EAP—such as medical or other types of assistance—the participant will be referred to services offered by his employer or local community organizations.

• Example: Our understanding of generational differences has resulted in increased usage of EAP services by the younger worker—individuals least likely to engage in the EAP and yet most likely to engage in risky behaviors.

» No more than two em dashes should be used in a single sentence, and avoid overusing them.

» An em dash may also be used before a name (no space) that follows a quote or quotation.

• Example: “A person who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it is committing another mistake.” —Confucius

en dashes » An en dash (–) with no space before or after is used to connect inclusive numbers and

sometimes words. In this use, the en dash signifies up to and including or through (e.g., 2009–2012, 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.).

» The en dash should not be used when the word to follows the first element (from 1960 to 2010) or the word between precedes the first element (between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.).

QUICK TIP

An en dash looks similar to a hyphen, but is actually slightly wider. To insert an en dash in Word, type a single hyphen between two words, with a space between the hyphen and each word.

Example: Word - word (space)

QUICK TIP

To insert an em dash in Word, type two hyphens (-) next to each other without any space between words or hyphens.

Example: Word--word (space)


» An en dash may also be used by itself after a date to indicate that something is still going on, with no space after the dash (e.g., On Track, 2007–).

» Use a hyphen, not an en dash to separate numbers that are not inclusive, such as telephone numbers and social security numbers.

» An en dash is often used in place of a hyphen in a compound adjective for clarity.

• Example: Jane was looking for the nursing home–home care policy, not knowing that Bill, in his devil-may-care style, had tossed it in the fireplace.

health care » Write as two words.

» When part of another entity’s name, use that entity’s formatting, such as The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

HEDIS® » The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is a registered trademark

of NCQA. The registered trademark symbol must be applied directly after the “HEDIS” the first time you use it in written material. At the bottom of the page where the registered trademark first appears there must be a footnote that states “HEDIS is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).” This is an NCQA requirement for maintaining our accreditation and there are no exceptions to this rule. If you can’t add an actual footnote, type an asterisk next to the registration mark and add the required sentence at the end of your page.

hyphens » Hyphens are used to join two words.

» When a compound modifier—two or more words that express a single concept—precedes a noun, use hyphens to link the words in the compound except the adverb very and all adverbs that end in -ly.

• Correct: My dog Toasty has beautifully brown-colored fur. • Incorrect: My dog Toasty has beautifully-brown-colored fur.

» Use a hyphen, not an en dash, to separate numbers that are not inclusive, such as telephone numbers and social security numbers.

internet » Lowercase the i in internet.


• Example: The internet provides many great resources on becoming a private detective.

Jr., Sr./II, III » Use the abbreviations Jr., Sr., II and III only as part of a

person’s full name.

» Use a comma before Jr. and Sr., but not II or III.

• Example: Larry Mullen, Jr.• Example: Larry Mullen III

Medicaid, Medicare » Both words begin with a capital M in all references.

• Correct: The Medicaid and Medicare populations are continually growing.

mental health and substance use disorder (MHSUD) » Mental health and substance use disorder (MHSUD) is preferred over mental health and substance

abuse (MHSA). The term substance abuse connotes a fixed and potentially permanent condition that can become internalized by the individual, as opposed to a disorder that is treatable and from which a person can recover.

» When abbreviating, use MHSUD without a slash.

• Correct: Beacon offers a wide variety of MHSUD services.

• Incorrect: Beacon offers a wide variety of MH/SUD services.

names » In general, use only last names on second reference, unless a person has an honorific title

(Doctor, Senator, etc.).

• Examples: • Frances Gumm will serve as Beacon’s new Marketing Manager. Gumm has nearly 15 years of

experience in the marketing field. • Dr. Caryn Johnson joined the company as Clinical Director. Dr. Johnson previously worked

at St. Katherine’s Hospital in San Francisco, CA.

» If two individuals share the same last name, distinguish the two by using their full names.

• Example: Beacon is pleased to welcome Ramon Estevez and Carlos Estevez to the company. Ramon Estevez will serve as Director of Communications, while Carlos Estevez joins as Creative Services Manager.

QUICK TIP

Beacon uses Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder (MHSUD) instead of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (MHSA). The term substance use suggests that people can and do recover—they are not their disorder. See the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Language section for more details.


» For internal publications such as company newsletters, refer to employees by their first name.

• Example: Estelle Scher is a clinician out of our Latham Service Center. Estelle has been with the company for more than 17 years.

» See titles for more information.

nationalities and races » Capitalize the proper names of nationalities, peoples, races, tribes, etc.

• Examples: Native American, African, Japanese, Nordic, Jewish

» Hyphenate countries/regions of origin when used as an adjective. Don’t hyphenate when used as a noun.

• Example: Asian Americans make up nearly 5.6 percent of the U.S. population. Amy Tan is a best-selling Asian-American writer.

» While African-American and Caucasian are capitalized, black and white are not.

» For more specific guidelines, see Language Sensitivity - Cultural Competency.

nonprofit » Write as one word, no hyphen.

numbers » Numbers below 10 should be written as words. Use numerals for numbers 10 and up.

• Example: Beacon attended eight regional conferences and 12 national conferences this quarter.

» Similarly, numbers with letter suffixes (for example, 11th) should be written as words below 10. Use numbers for 10 and up.

• Correct: My son starts 11th grade this year. It feels like he was in first grade only yesterday. • Incorrect: My son starts eleventh grade this year. It feels like he was in 1st grade only yesterday.• Exceptions: Instances that call for a lower reading level, for example, writing for Medicaid.

» When a number begins a sentence it should be written out.

• Correct: Ten years ago, we had half the employees we do now.• Incorrect: 10 years ago, we had half the employees we do now.

» Always use numerals for ages, even when the number is less than 10: She’s a 6-year-old girl; the boy is 5 years old.

» Use a comma for any numbers in thousands range, as it makes the figure easier to read: 4,000, 56,000, 745,000

» For million, billion, or trillion figures, use a figure-word combination and lowercase: 1 million people, $2 billion


percentages » Use numerals with percentages, except at the beginning of a sentence. Spell out the term

percent in regular body copy.

• Example: The Bluth Company’s revenue increased by 45 percent this year. Three percent of the profits were generated by its frozen banana stand.

» Use the symbol (%) in charts and tables.

plurals » Don’t use an apostrophe when making acronyms plural.

• Correct: IDs, CAFs • Incorrect: ID’s, CAF’s

» The apostrophe also follows the s to indicate a plural (group) possession.

• Example: Those aren’t the Care Managers’ handbooks.

» To make a last name plural, simply ad an s (or an es in some cases).

• Example: The Kennedys and Joneses have been avid mental health supporters for many years.

» No apostrophe is needed to pluralize decades.

• Correct: The company was established in the 1980s. • Incorrect: The company was established in the 1980’s.

program and product names » Capitalize our program and product names.

• Example: Employee Assistance Program and Interactive Voice Response Some of Beacon’s programs and products include:

Achieve Solutions

Adoption Reimbursement Assistance Program

Adult (Geriatric) Care Management

Autism Care Management

Back-Up Care Advantage (Child & Adult)

Beacon Impact

Beacon Lens

Building Resilience: A Workplace Strategy

Central Night Service

Claims Administration

Clinical Care Alerts

CONNECTS (CareConnect, ProviderConnect,

MemberConnect, etc.)

Customer Service

Depression Care Management

Disruptive Event Management

EAP Reseller

Employee Assistance Program and Services

Fitness for Duty Evaluations

Global EAP

Integrated Care Management

Intensive Case Management

Interactive Voice Response

Lactation Support


Legal/Financial

LifeSpeak On Demand

MHSUD Program

Nanny Find

Network Management and Development

Organizational Development Services

Peer Support Programs

Provider Practice Improvement Program

Psychotropic Drug Intervention Program (PDIP)

Psychiatric Disability Management

Recovery, Education and Access to Community Health (REACH)

ReferralConnect

Reporting

Stamp Out Stigma

Substance Abuse Case Management (SAP)

Tuition Subsidy Assistance

Video Counseling (Telehealth)

Work/Life Concierge

Work/Life Services

Workplace Prevention Programs

Workplace Violence Training and Consultation

Please note that while this list is detailed, it is not comprehensive, and items may change as new services emerge. When in doubt about a program or product name, always check with an SME.

quotation marks » Always place periods and commas inside quotation marks, whether single or double.

• Example: She told me our table would be “ready soon.”

» Semicolons, dashes and colons are placed outside of quotation marks.

• Example: You will find the following items in the “QuitKit”: nicotine replacement lozenges, a refrigeratormagnet, and a binder of educational material.

» Use quotation marks around titles of articles, chapters,speeches, and seminar and conference titles. Book titlesshould be italicized.

» Use single quotation marks (‘ ’) for a quote within a quote,or in headlines.

• Example: “The ‘Quit Kit’ has helped thousands of people stopsmoking,” said Cassandra Peterson, Marketing Director.

regions/geographic locations » Capitalize geographical terms accepted as proper names.

QUICK TIP

Quotation mark placement varies when using question marks and exclamation points. If part of a quotation, they stay inside quotes:

Example: Over the noisy restaurant, our server shouted, “Your table will be ready soon!”

If they aren’t part of a quotation, leave them on the outside:

Example: What did she mean by saying our table would be “ready soon”?

Tri-State/Mid-Atlantic (Region 2)

Southeast/Central (Region 3)

Federal/Employer Division

West (Region 4)

Northeast (Region 1)


• Examples: the West Coast, the Middle East

» If a geographical term applies to more than one entity or is not regarded as a proper name, it is not capitalized.

• Examples: southerner, western California

» Geographic regions are capitalized, but compass directions are not.

• Examples: the Southwest (region), southwestern (direction).

regions (Beacon) » Beacon has five business units, split into four regions and a Federal/Employer Division:

• Northeast Region (Region 1)• Tri-State/Mid-Atlantic Region (Region 2)• Southeast/Central Region (Region 3)• West Region (Region 4)• Federal/Employer Division

» When referencing regions externally, or in company-wide communications, use the full name of the region.

• Example: Beacon’s Northeast Region is now delivering service to over 20,000 members.

» Individually, Beacon’s regions may reference themselves using their corresponding region numbers [seen in map key] versus the proper name.

registration mark » We don’t require use of the registration mark, trademark, or service mark symbol when naming

Beacon Health Options’ products or other trademarked names in documents. Some external entities, however, do require us to use registration and trademark symbols when referencing their names. (See HEDIS® as an example.) Be sure to adhere to any unique contract-specific or entity-specific marketing guidelines.

» In general, it’s only necessary to use a registration mark or trademark symbol with the first reference when the name appears repeatedly in the same document.

» Superscript all registration and trademark symbols.

» If a symbol falls at the end of a clause or sentence, it should go before the punctuation.

• Example: We are proud to announce our new partnership with MomCorp®, best known for manufacturing Mom’s Old-Fashioned Robot Oil™. MomCorp is truly a company of the future.

semicolons » Semicolons are used to combine two independent clauses (two full sentences that could stand

alone). They are used to join together two similar thoughts.

• Example: Beacon’s Care Managers are available to serve your members at all times; with 24/7


access, we are ready to connect members to the right level of care at the right time.

» If a sentence contains a complex series of words with other commas, use semicolons to separate them.

• Example: The committee included Bernice Frankel, Director of Research; Rue Devereaux, Vice President of Production; and Betty Ludden, Assistant Baker.

service/engagement centers » Capitalize when referring to a specific location.

• Example: Miami Service Center

» Use lowercase when referring to service/engagement centers generally.

• Example: Beacon’s service centers are located all throughout the country.

social media » Lowercase social media unless it’s part of a proper noun.

• Example: Brad loved social media so much, he started the Beacon Social Media Club.

» Names of social media sites should be formatted as follows:

• Facebook• Twitter

• LinkedIn• Google+

• Instagram

» If you use a social media account on behalf of the company, please reference the Marketing and Communications policy MC501.

spacing » Put one space after a period at the end of a sentence.

QUICK TIP

Back when typewriters were common, all font characters were the same width, making text difficult to follow visually. Using two spaces after a period helped break up sentences and make them easier to read.

Today’s computerized fonts, however, are designed with proportional widths so they’re easier to follow. That means using two spaces after a period no longer helps readability—it just takes up space, or worse, distracts the reader.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

AL

AK

AZ

AR

CA

CO

CT

DE

FL

GA

HI

ID

IL

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

IN

IA

KS

KY

LA

ME

MD

MA

MI

MN

MS

MO

MT

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

NE

NV

NH

NJ

NM

NY

NC

ND

OH

OK

OR

PA

RI

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

SC

SD

TN

TX

UT

VT

VA

WA

WV

WI

WY


» Put one space after a colon.

» Put a space on either side of an ampersand (Proctor & Gamble) unless an entity’s name is specifically formatted without spaces for stylistic reasons (A&W).

» If a hyperlink ends a sentence, there is no space between the hyperlink and the period.

• Example: We invite you to visit our website at www.beaconhealthoptions.com.

» When listing a percentage within a chart or table, there is no space between the numeral and the percentage sign.

» There should be no space before or after an em dash.

» Omit any space between a slash (/) and the words or letters it divides.

• Correct: Work/Life services • Incorrect: Work / Life services

states » Spell out the name of any states, U.S. territories, and possessions that stand alone.

• Example: We have clients in California, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

» Abbreviate states when paired with a city.

• Example: Beacon is headquartered in Boston, MA.

» When abbreviating states, use the U.S. Postal Service’s two-letter state abbreviations.

• Correct: Beacon has offices in Reston, VA, and Cypress, CA. • Incorrect: Beacon has offices in Reston, Va., and Cypress, Calif.

Here is a list of abbreviations for each state: » The District of Columbia may be abbreviated to Washington, DC.

» Four states—Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia—are legally commonwealths. This distinction is only necessary in formal communications.

» Lowercase all state of constructions. Apply the same principle to phrases such as commonwealth of, city of, and town of.

• Example: We proudly serve the state of North Carolina and the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

symbols (&, @) » Use the ampersand (&) symbol only when it is part of a company’s formal name or title, such as

Proctor & Gamble. There should be a space on either side of the symbol.


» The ampersand should not be used in place of the word and,except in some instances of accepted abbreviations such as B&B.

» The @ symbol should only be used in email addresses. Thereshould be no space on either side of the @ symbol.

tele (telehealth, telemental health, telemedicine, telepsychiatry, etc.) » Don’t use a hyphen with the prefix tele.

• Correct: telehealth• Incorrect: tele-health

» Use lowercase when referring to a general tele technology orservice; tele compounds should only be capitalized when part ofa proper noun.

• Example: With telehealth increasing in popularity, wedecided to launch the Beacon Telehealth Portal.

telephone numbers » Use hyphens to separate numbers. Parentheses around the area code are not necessary.

» It is not necessary to put a ‘1’ prior to the area code.

» In the case of extensions, put a comma to separate it.

• Example: 555-555-1212, ext. 3.

time designations » Use digits and a.m. or p.m. (with a space between the last number and periods after the letters) to

indicate specific times.

» Delete the zeroes if the time is on the hour.

• Correct: 5 p.m.• Incorrect: 5:00 p.m.

» Use noon and midnight to clarify events happening at 12.

» Only use two-letter time zone when necessary for clarity.

• Correct: 4 p.m. ET• Incorrect: 4 p.m. EST

» Separate time spans using an en dash with no spaces, not a hyphen.

• Correct: 6-7:30 p.m.• Incorrect: 6 – 7:30 p.m.

QUICK TIP

Avoid using three-letter time zone abbreviations, as these change with Daylight Saving Time—for example, Eastern Standard Time (EST) becomes Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT). Two- letter time zone abbreviations stay the same year- round—for example, Eastern Time (ET)—making them simpler to use and understand.


titles » Refer to both men and women by first and last name, without courtesy title (for example, Mr.,

Mrs., Ms.), on first reference. For subsequent references, use the subject’s last name.

• Example: Demetria Guynes and Truman Persons are both Creative Directors. Guynes and Persons have held these roles for nearly seven years.

» Exception: If an individual uses a professional or formal title, use their title with each reference.

• Example: Dr. Caryn Johnson joined the company as Clinical Director. Dr. Johnson previously worked at St. Katherine’s Hospital in San Francisco, CA.

» Capitalize all professional titles.

• Examples:• Vice President of Corporate Strategy Fred Austerlitz• Fred Austerlitz, Vice President of Corporate Strategy• Fred Austerlitz is joining the company as Vice President of Corporate Strategy.

» Spell out Beacon job titles on the first usage, and then abbreviate upon subsequent use.

• Correct: Ehrich Weiss serves as Senior Vice President (SVP) of Finance. In his role as SVP…• Incorrect: Ehrich Weiss serves as SVP of Finance. In his role as SVP…

» When listing an individual’s title after their name, use acronyms with periods (L.C.S.W., Ph.D.), and set off the title with commas. The title should only appear after the first instance of a person’s name.

• Example: Robyn Fenty, Ph.D., is speaking tomorrow night. Dr. Fenty is a renowned expert in both music theory and cosmetic chemical compounds.

» There may be times when the individual’s title must be given initially in an abbreviated form due to space constraints (for example, email subject line, org charts).

» Titles such as governor, senator, and chief executive officer are only abbreviated when they come before the person’s name. This also includes military titles.

• Example: Gov. John Ratcliffe

» Depending on the audience and material—for example, an employee newsletter—it may be appropriate to forgo official titles and opt for more informal references, such as first names. See names for more information.

underlining » Only used with hyperlinks, not to emphasize text. Use italics to emphasize text.

• Correct: Wendy Peffercorn knew exactly what she was doing.• Incorrect: Wendy Peffercorn knew exactly what she was doing.

veteran » Always use lowercase unless it’s a part of an entity name or other proper noun.


• Example: We honor veterans on Veterans Day.

web » Lowercase the w in the web, including instances where web is paired with another word, such as

web browser.

• Example: With so much new information published to the web each day, many users subscribe to a web feed to get the latest content all in one place.

website » Write website as one word, with a lowercase w.

• Example: You may find the information on the company’s website.

» When referencing any website, use all lowercase letters for the URL.

• Example: www.beaconhealthoptions.com

» In electronic documents, reference websites by their working URL (for example, www.beaconhealthoptions.com). Most programs will then automatically generate a hyperlink to the site. You may drop “http://” for URLs containing “www” (for example, http://www.beaconhealthoptions.com becomes www.beaconhealthoptions.com).

» For print documents, it’s fine to shorten web addresses even further by dropping “www”—for example, Learn more about Beacon’s innovative EAP services at beaconhealthoptions.com.

» The terms webpage, webcam, webinar and webmaster are also spelled as one word with a lowercase w.

well-being » Well-being (hyphenated) is the preferred format, rather than wellbeing.

» When referencing an entity that formats wellbeing without a hyphen, use the entity’s formatting. For example, the Welcome Wellbeing newsletter.

Work/Life (work/life) » Capitalize only when referring to Beacon’s product. Use lowercase when referring to work/life in

general. Separate with a slash, omitting any spaces.

• Example: Better employee balance starts with better work/life services. Beacon’s Work/Life offers a range of support for employees.

28Language Sensitivity Guidelines

LANGUAGE SENSITIVITY GUIDELINES

Cultural CompetencyBeacon is committed to using language that reflects the perspectives and preferences of the groups we serve. The following categories outline our practices regarding some of these groups.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT)

gender identity » An individual’s personal, deeply rooted sense of his or her gender. For transgender individuals,

their gender identity does not match the biological gender they were assigned at birth, or, in some cases, align with either gender.

LGBT » Acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. LGBT and/or GLBT may be used

interchangeably, though the former is more commonly recognized. The acronym is sometimes expanded to LGBTQI, which includes Q for individuals questioning their gender or sexual identity, and I for intersex individuals (those born with a sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit the typical characteristics of female or male).

transgender » An umbrella descriptor applied to people whose gender identity and expression (their dress,

grooming, speech, or physical presentation) differs from traditional standards associated with their biological gender. Many transgender people are prescribed hormones or undergo surgery to change their bodies; but not all transgender people can or will take those steps.

» Use:

• A transgender person’s chosen pronoun and name. To avoid confusion, do not use pronouns associated with a transgender person’s birth sex, even when referencing their life prior to transition.

» Never use:

• Transgender as a noun (it should only be used as an adjective)• An extraneous -ed after the word, transgender (for example, transgendered)• Pre- or post-operative as this inaccurately conveys a person must have surgery to transition• Biologically male or female or any phrasing that suggests a person’s sex is determined at birth


Ethnicity versus Race

ethnicity » Refers to social groupings based on shared descent and cultural traditions. Behavioral norms

and forms of personal identity are associated with ethnic groups. For example, someone of white race could be of Irish, Italian, or Hispanic ethnicity. Ethnicity is changeable, based upon a person’s location, personal choices, and experiences.

race » Refers to one’s biologically determined physical characteristics, including hair, skin, and eye

color, and potential to develop specific diseases. There are five U.S. government-defined racial categories: white (Caucasian), black, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander. Race is not changeable.

DisabilitiesBeacon Health Options uses the terminology used by national groups representing specific disabled communities. Follow these rules:

» Avoid terms and descriptions that convey pity, such as afflicted with, struggles with, suffers from, confined to a wheelchair, or wheelchair-bound (see People-first Language).

• Example: He has depression and multiple sclerosis. She used a wheelchair before her hip-replacement surgery.

» Never use handicapped unless referring to handicapped accessible.

Audiological Disabilities Use deaf (lowercase d) to describe the audiological condition of not hearing. Deaf (capital D) is a term preferred by many people who were born deaf and consider American Sign Language—not English—their primary language.

» Other appropriate terms include:

• Hard of hearing• Late-deafened (hearing loss occurred later in life)• Non-verbal, speech impaired• Speech disorder—the person isn’t able to communicate with spoken words

» Don’t use:

• Deaf and dumb• Deaf-mute


Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities The term intellectual disability should be used in place of mental retardation. An intellectual disability signifies when a person has limitations in the areas of mental functioning and adaptive behavior. The term developmental disabilities includes intellectual disabilities, but can also refer to physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy.

Visual Disabilities Use blind to describe a person with complete loss of sight. For others, use terms such as visually impaired or person with low vision.

Diseases, Disorders, Conditions and DrugsBehavioral health is an acceptable phrase to capture the concepts of both mental health and substance use. Behavioral health disorder(s) is an acceptable phrase to capture both mental illness and substance use disorders.

Disorder is an approved term in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to describe conditions where an individual is experiencing distress and challenges in her daily functioning due to mental illness or substance use or addiction. Condition is another acceptable term.

For disorders, conditions and other behavioral health terms, we follow the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). However, DSM-5 uses the term posttraumatic stress disorder, whereas we use the AP Style term post-traumatic stress disorder.

Most diseases, disorders, conditions, body parts, and procedures are spelled in lowercase, without italics or quotation marks (for example, bipolar disorder, diabetes, uvula).

When the illness is named after a person or region, the name is capitalized but the disease type is lower case (for example, Alzheimer’s disease, West Nile virus).

Mental Health and Substance Use LanguageWith regard to mental health and substance use, we first specify the area of focus (mental health vs. substance use) followed by the term disorder or less frequently condition. We don’t use the phrases substance, drug, or alcohol abuse or addiction as these connote a fixed and potentially permanent condition that can become internalized by the individual, as opposed to a disorder that is treatable and from which a person can recover.

Alcohol use disorder should be used to describe alcohol-related disorders.

Use: person with alcohol use disorder

Never use: alcohol abuse, alcohol abuser, alcoholism, or alcoholic

Medications should be identified first as the chemical or generic name in lower case, followed by the trade name in parentheses with a trademark symbol. Example: fluoxetine (Prozac®). If


describing drugs of misuse, the commonly known slang term is preferred. In such cases, reverse order to the above should be applied. For example, roofies should be presented as Rohypnol® (flunitrazepam).

MHSA stands for mental health and substance abuse. It is acceptable to use when clinically describing a condition or when referencing groups like SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Beacon uses MHSUD in all other circumstances.

MHSUD is an acronym for mental health and substance use disorder. This is our preferred terminology over MHSA.

Recovery refers to the process an individual experiences as he improves his ability to manage the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are associated with his mental health or substance use disorder. Recovery is an ongoing process, one which is unique for each individual. References to an individual being cured of a particular disorder would be an inaccurate depiction of the process involved in maintaining recovery.

Use: in recovery

Never use: clean (“she’s clean,” referring to a negative urine drug screen or someone not currently using substances), clean and sober

Slang terms should appear in quotes in first usage within a document, and can appear later without quotes. Example: The “high” a person gets when on cocaine is not the same as an LSD high.

Substance use disorder should be used to describe substance-related disorders.

Substance misuse describes the use of a substance for a purpose not consistent with legal or medical guidelines.

Use: person with substance use disorder, substance misuse

Never use: drug/substance abuse, drug/substance abuser, drug/substance addict, drug/substance user, dirty (“he’s dirty,” referring to positive urine drug screen or a person who is currently using substances); derogatory slang such as junkie, crackhead, pill popper, tweaker, druggie, speed freak

Opioid use disorder should be used to describe opioid-related disorders. Use opioid misuse when referring to the use of opioids outside legal or medical guidelines.

Never use: opioid addict, opioid abuse

Beacon frequently references medication-assisted treatment (MAT), an evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder.

Never use: replacement therapy, substitution therapy

Withdrawal management refers to the medical and psychological care of patients who are experiencing withdrawal symptoms as a result of ceasing or reducing use of their drug of dependence.

Never use: detox


Terminology for the People We Serve/People-first LanguageBeacon’s written communications support our efforts to de-stigmatize language to reflect a more person-centered, strength-based approach. We distinguish between the individual and the condition she is experiencing. For example, we would refer to an individual with schizophrenia versus a schizophrenic. A person is not her diagnosis, and this needs to be reflected in our language.

People-first language focuses on the individual, not the person’s medical condition or disability.

Use: has diabetes, has schizophrenia, people with schizophrenia, individuals diagnosed with anorexia, members with disabilities, person with mental illness, adults with co-occurring disorders, children with autism spectrum disorder, veterans with disabilities

Don’t use: diabetic, schizophrenics, anorexics, disabled members, mentally ill person, dually disordered adults, autistic, disabled veterans

Patient or case should only be used when describing a person seeking treatment. If referring to a person with a mental illness, use person or individual.

Do not use insulting terms such as insane, crazy/crazed, nuts or deranged.

Be sensitive to the use of words that connote negativity or pity. A health condition should not be labeled a problem, but be called an illness or disorder.

Avoid negative terms such as cripple, victim, sufferer, or afflicted with. Instead, use people who have had a stroke, not stroke victims, or has depression, not suffers from depression.

Be mindful when discussing the subject of suicide. Avoid using the expression a suicide, which places focus on the mode of death rather than the person, or committed suicide, which connotes illegal behavior. It is preferable instead to describe the deceased as having died by suicide. Also avoid referring to successful, unsuccessful, or failed suicide attempts. Instead, contrast suicide deaths with nonfatal attempts.

Use the right term for the right audience. For example, you would typically use the term patient when addressing a provider audience, not member. Alternatively, you wouldn’t address a member audience as patients. Some contracts will also have specific terminology requirements, such as beneficiary.

Don’t confuse readers by using multiple terms (for example, members, employees, and participants for the same group of people) in your communications—be consistent.

Define a term if necessary. For example: Acme Company participants (your employees and their family members) can use our smartphone app to locate providers.

Gender-specific pronouns should be alternated in communications instead of using the term he or she or they throughout.

For example: A person thinking about suicide may talk of despair and hopelessness. He may appear to be preparing for departure. She might talk or joke about different methods to die by suicide.


Health Literacy Guidelines and Reading Level Requirements

Health Literacy Guidelines Follow these tips to help make your writing clearer, more accessible across all audiences, and at a lower reading level:

Using a conversational—but true—tone helps to lower the reading level.

Consistency is key. When using a term within an article, use the same one instead of other words. For example, if you are using eyeglasses, use the full word or glasses, but not lens or spectacles.

Try to avoid using more than 15 words in a sentence. Don’t overuse punctuation.

Choose words that are less than three syllables. It’s hard to avoid with terms such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. But you can limit the number of times they’re used within the piece.

Avoid using i.e. and e.g., which are often misused and can be confusing to readers. Use that is or for example instead.

Here are a few word substitutions that will help get the reading level down. Please note that the original words are fine to use if the reading level is not an issue:

Advocate: Use support person instead.

Behavior modification: Can be described as changing what you do or stopping bad habits.

Chronic: Can also use lasting a long time, constant, or does not go away.

Diagnosis: May use finding out the cause of an illness.

Episode: Can also be described as brief time, event, or set amount of time.

Medical: Use health instead (health care, health facility, etc.).

Physician: Use doctor or provider when possible.

Prescription: Can also be script, order for medicine, or doctor’s order.

Psychiatrist: May also be described as mental health doctor.

Websites: Many health literacy sites exist. We suggest the following:

» Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health Literacy Site www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy

» Quick Guide to Health Literacy www.health.gov/communication/literacy/quickguide/factsbasic.htm

» Simple Words and Phrases https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/words/use-simple-words-phrases/

» University of Michigan’s Plain Language Medical Dictionary www.lib.umich.edu/plain-language-dictionary


Reading Levels All member/client/employee communication pieces should be written at whatever reading level is determined by your audience, department, or contract. Beacon prefers the Microsoft Word Flesch-Kincaid reading level tool that is located within the spelling and grammar check. Accessing it depends on your software version. If you are unfamiliar, check your Microsoft Word help center for more information.

For additional tips on making your writing more accessible across all audiences, check out Beacon’s Reading Level Guide.

Active vs. Passive Voice » In active voice, the subject of a sentence performs the action.

• Example: Beacon helps people live their lives to the fullest potential.

» In passive voice, the subject is acted upon.

• Example: People are helped to live their lives to the fullest potential by Beacon.

» Use active voice to ensure your writing is clear and concise. Avoid using passive voice whenever possible, as it weakens the meaning of your writing and tends to make sentences longer.

corporate style guide a a - laura c. watkins · 2018. 5. 9. · at beacon health options, ... tele...

Documents