Referral Strategies for Recruitment and Engagement of Community Adults into Online Extension Health Programs

This article shares details behind building organizational capacity to establish program referrals for statewide recruitment of community adults into Cooperative Extension’s online health programs. This study explores the role of intentional recruitment strategies (active and passive) to increase participant program enrollment into health education and shares examples from one state that has created a trained workforce that offers ongoing research- and evidence-based programs. After many years of trying paper, phone, and electronic medical record methods to increase program reach, Michigan State University Extension tried an electronic referral process via a QR code and web link, accompanied by program marketing, to intake referrals for participants to engage in free, online health education. This study shares demographic characteristics of adults referred into Extension health programs and reasons people engaged in education online. Individuals who used the referral QR code and web link from May 2022 to May 2024 were sent a survey, and 54% of this group responded (n = 155). Respondents shared how they learned about referrals into health classes, whether they registered and attended classes, and, if relevant, their perceived results of attending. Age was the only significant difference by referral type (active or passive) found in the study.