Special Programs

Reach Out and Read Program

Up to one-third of American children enter kindergarten lacking at least some of the skills needed for a successful learning experience. Being read to is the best medicine for a child’s cognitive and language development, providing comfort for both children and their parents and paving the way for success in school. The primary goal of the Reach Out and Read Program is to enrich the parent-provider-patient relationship and increase reading time in the home by providing parents with both guidance and children’s books.

For too many children, the preschool years leave them without the basic language skills necessary for literacy acquisition. The story begins well before school entry; children who start school behind typically stay behind. When children are poor readers by the end of first grade, they are likely to remain so in fourth grade.

Introducing children to reading at an early age promotes literacy and success in school. Practicing language and pre-reading skills at an early age are necessary for children to succeed later in school and one of the best ways to secure a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning. Research tells us that the developing brain is shaped by the stimulation of language, words, repetition, and reading.

The Reach Out and Read Program increases positive parent-child interactions and supports low-income parents’ ability to nurture their child intellectually.  During each well-child visit a developmental assessment is conducted, affording an opportunity for the medical care provider to discuss ways the parent can incorporate reading, language and word games into daily routines. The parents are also given advice about the importance of reading aloud, and tips on how to incorporate reading into their daily routines. Children are given a free book to take home after each well-child visit.