Licking County Programs

Reach Out and Read

The Children's Reading Foundation of Licking County is a proud sponsor of the local Reach Out and Read Initiative started by local pediatrician Dr. William Knobeloch, MD.   

The mission of the Ohio Reach Out and Read (ROR) program is to make literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric primary care, so that children grow up with books and a love of reading. The ROR model uses the existing structure of pediatric primary care, in which parents of young children have regular, one-on-one, developmentally focused visits with pediatricians during the first years of a child's life. For many families, especially for families living in poverty, these visits are the earliest, and possibly the only, regular contacts with a child development professional. By integrating literacy into well-child visits, pediatricians promote the acquisition of spoken and written language skills in young children, thereby increasing the likelihood of eventual school success. This dialogue between parent and pediatrician provides key literacy knowledge and access to resources for the whole family. The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses ROR as a model for anticipatory guidance from physicians to parents to convey the why and how to share books with children.

Reach Out and Read Ohio (ROR Ohio), founded in 2001 has grown steadily to 104 sites statewide; in 2007 these sites will serve more than 131,000 children and distribute over 230,000 new books. Currently, nearly 2,300 doctors and nurses have been trained in the ROR model of early literacy promotion. ROR sites are presently functioning in community health centers, hospitals, residency programs and pediatric clinics throughout Ohio.

ROR is a three stage approach to promoting literacy in the medical office.  Stage 1 is the primary care physician stressing the importance of reading for optimal development.  Stage 2 is having a reading focused waiting room with books available and volunteer readers in the office.  Stage 3 is the presentation of a new book for every well child visit from age 6 months to age 5 years.  Before Kindergarten 10 books will be given to each child.