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 137 sites statewide; in 2009 these sites will serve more than 148,000 children and distribute over 250,000 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.

Ohio Reach Out and Read Sites
Akron
Akron Community Health Resources
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Broadway
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Ellet
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Fairlawn
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Green
Children's Medical Group
Locust Pediatric Care Group/Akron Children's Hospital
Open M Free Clinic
Summit County Children Services
Ashland
Children's Hospital Physician's Associates - Ashland
Athens
Athens City-County Health Department
Ohio University Medical Associates
Barberton
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Barberton
Bellefontaine
Logan View Pediatrics
Boardman
Akron Children's Hospital Mahoning Valley / Pediatric Specialties
Bowling Green
Wood County Health Department
Wood County Medical Associates
Canton
Akron Children's Hospital / C.A.R.E. Center-Stark County
Canton Community Clinic
Margaret B. Shipley Child Health Clinic
Meridian Pediatrics of Canton
Cincinnati
Babies Milk Fund Pediatric Care - Martin Luther King
Babies Milk Fund Pediatric Care - Harrison
Braxton F. Cann Memorial Medical Center - Madisonville
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center / Pediatric Primary Care Center
Crossroad Health Center
Elm Street Health Center
Forest Park Health Center
HealthSource of Ohio / Eastgate Pediatrics
Lincoln Heights Health Center
Mid-City Pediatrics
Millvale Health Center
Neighborhood Health Care / Norwood Health Center
Northside Health Center
Price Hill Health Center
West End Health Center, Inc.
Winton Hills Medical and Health Center
Circleville
H.O.P. to it! (Helping Ourselves as Parents)
Cleveland
Buckeye Health Center
Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation
J. Glen Smith Health Center
McCafferty Health Center
MetroHealth Broadway Health Center
MetroHealth Medical Center
Neighborhood Family Practice
Neighborhood Family Practice - Tremont
NorthEast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. (NEON)
NorthEast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. / Southeast Health Center
NorthEast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. / Superior Health Center
Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital
The Otis Moss Jr. University Hospital Medical Center
Cleveland Heights
William J. Washington, MD
Columbus
Center for Child & Family Advocacy
Columbus Northeast Health Center
Hilltop Health Center
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Center - Eastland
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Center - Hilltop
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Center - Linden
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Center - Near East
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Center - Northland
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Center - Olentangy
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Center - Westside
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Center - Whitehall
Nationwide Children's Hospital FACES Center
Nationwide Children's Hospital Med-Peds Clinic - South High
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Red
Nationwide Children's Hospital Primary Care Yellow
Dayton
Berry Family Health Center / Miami Valley Hospital
Children's Health Clinic
Dayton Children's Medical Center / CARE Clinic
Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County / Community Child Health Centers
Wright State University / Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Program
Dover
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Dover
East Cleveland
Huron Hospital
NorthEast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services / East Cleveland Health Center
Findlay
Caughman Health Clinic
Galion
Galion Health Foundation
Grove City
OhioHealth / Grant Family Medicine
Holland
Western Lucas County Clinic
Hudson
Children's Hospital Physicians Associates - Hudson
Jackson
Holzer Clinic Jackson
Kent
Children's Hospital Physicians Associates - Kent
Portage Community Health
Lancaster
Pediatric Associates of Lancaster
Lima
Allen County Health Partners
St. Rita's Med-Care Health Clinic
Logan
Logan Pediatrics
Scott J. Anzalone, MD
Lorain
Cleveland Clinic Lorain Family Health Center
Mansfield
Mansfield Pediatrics, Inc.
Martins Ferry
Judith T. Romano, MD
Mason
Premier Pediatric Group
Maumee
University of Toledo Medical Center - Family Practice
Medina
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Medina
Middletown
The Butler County Community Health Consortium
Millersburg
Pomerene Pediatrics
Mount Gilead
Bachelder Family Practice
Morrow County Health Department
Newark
American Health Network / Licking Memorial Health Systems
North Canton
North Canton Medical Foundation
Oregon
Navarre Family Medicine Associates
Orient
Berger Medical Center
Oxford
Oxford Pediatrics and Adolescents, Inc.
Parma
Parma Pediatrics, Inc.
Perrysburg
Perrysburg Pediatrics
Portsmouth
Portsmouth City Health Department
The Counseling Center, Inc. / Family HealthCare Center
Ravenna
Robinson Memorial Hospital
Springfield
Rocking Horse Center
Tallmadge
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Tallmadge
The Plains
Family Healthcare, Inc.
Tipp City
Salud Community Clinic
Toledo
Adolescent and Young Adult Health Services
Center for Health Services
Family Care Center - SUMMC
Gandy Family Practice
Martha Kleinberg - Pediatric and Adolescents
Neighborhood Health Association / NHA Pediatrics Clinic
Neighborhood Health Association / Daisy Smith Pediatric Clinic
Pediatricare Associates
Sylvania Adult and Pediatric Medicine
Toledo-Lucas County Health Department Pediatrics Clinic
University of Toledo Pediatrics Department - Ruppert Health Center
WWKnight Family Practice Center
Wee Care Pediatrics
Troy
Miami County Health District / Immunization Clinic
Miami County Well Child Clinic
Twinsburg
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Twinsburg
Wadsworth
Children's Hospital Physicians Associates - Wadsworth
West Chester
Mid-City Pediatrics - West Chester
Wilmington
Clinton Pediatric and Adolescent Services
Wooster
Children's Hospital Physician Associates - Wooster
Wright Patterson Air Force Base
USAF / Pediatric Clinic / 88 MDOS/SGOCP
Youngstown
Youngstown Community Health Center
Zanesville
Muskingum Valley Health Centers

How You Can Help

Donations can be made to the Ohio AAP Foundation, c/o Reach Out and Read Ohio, 450 W. Wilson Bridge Road, Suite 215, Worthington, OH 43085, or contact Heather Hall, Reach Out and Read Ohio Coalition Leader, by phone at (614) 846-6258 or e-mail at hhall@ohioaap.org.

Volunteer Opportunities

If you would like to volunteer for ROR Ohio please contact, Heather Hall, Reach Out and Read Ohio Coalition Leader, 450 W. Wilson Bridge Road, Suite 215, Worthington, OH 43085, or call (614) 846-6258.

Quarterly Updates

A quarterly update on Ohio Reach Out and Read activities can be found in the most recent issue of the Ohio Pediatrics, the Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics quarterly newletter.

Statewide Coalition

Based on a statewide need for coordination, fundraising and systems, the Reach Out and Read National Center, the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Ohio AAP Foundation have partnered to ensure the long-term success of the ROR programs in Ohio. In March 2006, ROR Ohio made a significant commitment to expand and strengthen the program by employing a statewide Coalition Leader, and Physician Champions. ROR Ohio is undertaking an impressive slate of initiatives designed to build a strong coalition capable of long-term sustainable sites that will make ROR pediatric literacy strategies an integral part of Ohio’s literacy effort. These initiatives fall into three categories:

(1) technical support to sustain program quality, expand sites and programs;

(2) establish a coalition infrastructure to build volunteer programs, and facilitate training;

(3) generate funding necessary for sites to operate and distribute books throughout Ohio.

Assisting New Sites with Funding

While all ROR sites operate independently and are accountable for raising the balance of their book dollars and promoting the program, it is the goal of ROR Ohio, the Ohio AAP Foundation and the Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics to assist new sites in securing 100% of their funding for the first year, and to work with them to develop tools to sustain their book money for future years. In addition to new books, ROR Ohio also encourages sites to have additional gently-used books available in the waiting rooms for children and their siblings to take with them when they leave.

Facilitating New and Existing Sites

ROR Ohio will facilitate the expansion and sustainability of new and existing sites by:

Developing and executing a fundraising plan that will diversify, expand and build a network of sources for ongoing funding for books.
Facilitating and coordinating the training of providers and site coordinators at new and existing sites.
Developing a statewide approach to volunteer recruitment, training, placement and maintenance.
Creating a statewide communications infrastructure that connects ROR sites to one another and provides templates and tools for site fundraising, marketing, media and community relations.
Providing technical assistance, site reporting and staff support to all ROR sites.
Assisting sites in identifying resources and opportunities for book drives to generate new and gently-used books.

Melissa Wervey Arnold, Executive Director, Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
John C. Duby, MD, Physician Champion
Robert Needlman, MD, Physician Champion
Elizabeth S. Ruppert, MD, Physician Champion