Digital Accessibility Statement

General Commitment

Providence Community Health Centers is committed to making our digital content accessible to all members of the community, including people with disabilities. We strive to make our website, social media content, videos, documents, and online communications accessible and usable for the communities we serve.

Our digital accessibility efforts are guided by recognized accessibility standards, including Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, Section 504 accessibility expectations, and general ADA digital accessibility principles.

Accessibility Features

To support a more inclusive digital experience, Providence Community Health Centers makes reasonable efforts to use available accessibility tools and best practices across our website and digital channels. This includes using clear content structure, readable text, descriptive links, accessible documents where possible, image descriptions, alt text, and captions for video content.

Accessibility practices may include:

• Alt Text and Image Descriptions: Meaningful text alternatives for images when available.
• Video Captions: Captions for videos and review of auto-generated captions for accuracy.
• Readable Content: Plain language, short paragraphs, and clear formatting.
• Accessible Documents: Reasonable efforts to provide documents with selectable text, proper reading order, headings, meaningful links, and sufficient color contrast.
• Alternative Access: Assistance for users who need information in another accessible format.

Compliance Goal

It is our goal to follow WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility guidelines where possible and continue improving the accessibility of our website, social media content, videos, documents, and other digital communications.

Technical Assistance & Feedback

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of Providence Community Health Centers digital content. If you experience difficulty accessing any content from our website or social media channels, please contact us so we can assist you and make reasonable efforts to provide the information in an accessible format.

• Website: www.providencechc.org
• Phone: 1-877-WELL-ALL (877-935-5255)
• Email: info@commwellhealth.org

When contacting us, please include your name, contact information, the specific web address or social media platform where you experienced difficulty, and a short description of the issue.

Disclaimer

Accessibility is an ongoing effort. While we strive to make our digital content accessible, some legacy content, third-party integrations, social media platforms, or external systems may have limitations outside of our direct control. However, we are committed to using available accessibility features whenever possible and improving access over time.

Social Media Accessibility Position Statement

Providence Community Health Centers is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users across our online presence, including social media. We make reasonable efforts to ensure that information shared through third-party platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and other digital channels is accessible.

Because third-party platforms are not fully controlled by Providence Community Health Centers, some accessibility limitations may exist within those platforms. However, our social media accessibility practices include adding descriptive alt text when available, providing captions for videos, including important flyer and event details in post captions, adding photo descriptions for shared content when original alt text cannot be edited, reviewing auto-generated captions, and avoiding reliance on image-only text for critical information.

Platforms Covered

This guidance applies to social media and digital publishing platforms used by Providence Community Health Centers, including but not limited to:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• TikTok
• X/Twitter, if applicable
• Any future social media or digital publishing platforms used by the organization

This applies to both original content and shared or reshared content.

Social Media Accessibility Responsibilities

Providence Community Health Centers may not control the technical accessibility of third-party platforms, but the organization is responsible for how it uses those platforms. Reasonable efforts should be made to ensure posted content is accessible.

• Add alt text to images when available.
• Include important image text in the caption.
• Provide captions for videos.
• Review auto-generated captions for accuracy.
• Avoid posts where critical information is only shown in an image.
• Add image descriptions to shared posts when the original alt text cannot be edited.
• Ensure flyers, PDFs, and linked documents are accessible or supported by accessible text summaries.

Image Accessibility Requirements

Custom Alt Text

When the platform allows it, custom alt text should be added to images before publishing.

• Describe the meaningful content of the image.
• Write clearly and naturally for screen reader users.
• Include important visible text when it is not already included in the caption.
• Avoid unnecessary phrases such as “image of” or “picture of” unless needed for clarity.
• Avoid describing decorative details unless they are important to understanding the image.
• Avoid guessing or identifying people by name unless the caption or image clearly identifies them.

Text-Heavy Graphics

If an image contains important information, the same information should also be included in the post caption. This includes event flyers, hiring graphics, health notices, closure announcements, quote graphics, infographics, public service announcements, schedules, contact information, eligibility requirements, and deadlines.

Collages and Multi-Photo Posts

For collages or multi-photo posts, alt text should summarize the overall purpose of the images rather than describing every small detail. If each photo contains different important information, each image should have its own alt text if the platform allows.

Video Accessibility Requirements

All videos posted to social media should include accurate captions. This applies to Facebook videos, Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, Instagram videos, TikTok videos, LinkedIn videos, YouTube videos, and shared video content.

• Captions should match the spoken audio accurately.
• Captions should include important spoken information.
• Captions should be synchronized with the video.
• Captions should be readable and not blocked by platform buttons or captions.
• Auto-generated captions may be used as a starting point but should be reviewed and corrected.

Videos Without Captions

Videos without captions should be treated as a high-priority accessibility issue, especially when the message is spoken and not available in the caption.

• Add captions to the original video if the platform allows editing.
• Upload an SRT caption file where available.
• Re-upload the video with captions if the original post cannot be edited.
• Add a detailed text summary in the caption if editing or reposting is not possible.

Shared and Reshared Content

Shared posts should also be reviewed for accessibility. If the organization cannot edit the original post, original image alt text, or original video captions, accessibility can still be improved by adding context in the share caption.

• Check whether the original image contains important text.
• Check whether the original video has captions.
• Add a short photo description or video summary in the share caption when needed.
• Avoid sharing inaccessible content without adding context, especially for public health information, event instructions, or calls to action.

Link Preview Accessibility

Shared website links often generate preview images. If the link preview image contains the main message, headline, call to action, or public notice, the post caption should summarize that message in accessible text.

Flyer and PDF Accessibility

Flyers and PDFs should not be the only place where important information is provided. When posting flyers, the caption should include the event name, date, time, location, intended audience, registration or attendance instructions, contact information, eligibility requirements, and important notices.

When possible, PDFs should be checked for accessibility, including selectable text, proper reading order, tagged headings, meaningful link text, alt text for images, and sufficient color contrast.

Hashtags, Emojis, and Caption Formatting

• Use plain language.
• Use short paragraphs and avoid long blocks of text.
• Use CamelCase hashtags, such as #NationalHealthCenterWeek.
• Use emojis sparingly and avoid using emojis as replacements for words.
• Place hashtags at the end of the caption when possible.
• Use descriptive link text when possible.

Pre-Publishing Accessibility Checklist

Remediation Guidelines

Low Priority

Examples include minor missing visual context or decorative images with no important information. Recommended fix: add alt text if available. A repost is usually not needed.

Medium Priority

Examples include an image missing alt text where the caption already explains the main message, a collage lacking alt text where the event is clearly described, or shared content where the caption provides most of the context. Recommended fix: add custom alt text if editable or add a photo description to the caption if alt text cannot be edited.

High Priority

Examples include videos with no captions, important information only shown in an image, missing flyer details, link preview images carrying the main message with no caption, or shared content with no accessible text summary. Recommended fixes include adding missing information to the caption, adding captions to videos, re-uploading videos with captions, adding a full photo description or text summary, or creating an accessible version of flyers or PDFs when needed.

Internal Workflow

1. Draft the post caption.
2. Review all images, flyers, videos, and links.
3. Add alt text to images.
4. Add captions to videos.
5. Include key details from graphics in the caption.
6. Review shared content for accessibility limitations.
7. Complete the accessibility checklist.
8. Publish the post.
9. Save notes if remediation was needed.

Training and Review Recommendations

Marketing and communications staff should receive basic social media accessibility training. Training should include how to write alt text, add alt text on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, review and correct video captions, identify text-heavy graphics, handle shared posts, document accessibility fixes, and use the pre-publishing checklist.

Recommended review schedule: quick review before every post, monthly spot-check of recent posts, quarterly audit of social media content, and annual review of this policy and related SOPs.

Alternative Path for Information Requests

If you encounter any accessibility barriers on our website, social media platforms, videos, documents, or other digital content, or if you require information in an alternative format, please contact us directly.

• Phone: 1-877-WELL-ALL (877-935-5255)
• Email: info@commwellhealth.org
• Website: www.providencechc.org