Variety Care Supports Early Literacy Through Reach Out and Read

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — For years, Variety Care has integrated Reach Out and Read into pediatric services, supporting early literacy and healthy development for children across Oklahoma.

“We are an early literacy intervention that happens at well-child visits. We train providers to use a children's book as a tool to assess the child's development, talk to parents about the importance of reading to their child every day, and the really cool part is that the child gets to go home with that book for free,” said Jordan Parsons, Director Development, Reach Out and Read.

“We see that families that are exposed to Reach Out and Read actually read to their kids two and a half times more than other families, and a child's literacy and language development is at least 3-6 months more advanced than other children who are not exposed. They're also keeping their well-child visits,” Parsons said.

 

At Variety Care, this work is part of a long-standing commitment to supporting children and families beyond clinical care.

“I do think parents are very busy, and trying to work the books in. We want to arm our parents with the tools to do that any time of day, specifically that bedtime routine, making sure that kids have that consistent time with their parents. Our books are wonderful, but it's more about who you share that book with and developing those relationships and that time with their parents,” said Amanda Martin, MD, Director Pediatric Services.

For more information, visit varietycare.org.

About Variety Care, Inc.

Variety Care, Inc. is Oklahoma’s largest community health center with 22 sites in central and western Oklahoma, and two new sites opening soon in Norman and Yukon. Variety Care serves approximately 80,000 patients annually and provides comprehensive and coordinated social services to over 200,000 people through face-to-face and group visits. A United Way partner agency, Variety Care serves all and strives to make health care affordable and accessible for everyone. The Variety Care Foundation provides philanthropic support and community awareness for Variety Care and its efforts. For more information, please visit varietycare.org.