CareSource Sponsorship Encourages Literacy during Well-Child Visits

The health insurer’s Reach Out and Read sponsorship will bring literacy opportunities at two Federally Qualified Health Center sites in Marion County.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. (August 17, 2020) – CareSource, a nationally recognized nonprofit health plan, announced their sponsorship of two Reach Out and Read locations in Marion County. Reach Out and Read is a national nonprofit that champions the positive effects of reading daily and engaging in other language-rich activities with young children through providing families the knowledge and tools they need to make reading a part of their daily routine at Well-Child Visits (WCV).

“We know children from low income families often have delayed language skills because they tend to not have the best start to literacy in the home,” said Dr. Cameual Wright, medical director at CareSource Indiana. “The model Reach Out and Read has created with Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (INAAP) is a great way to encourage language and development.”

Launching this year, the two newly sponsored facilities, Martindale-Brightwood Health Center and Northeast Health Center, will provide families with assistance in incorporating reading into their daily lives. The program estimates that over 500 children and their families will receive a new book with each visit and supportive, anticipatory guidance from a trusted clinician. Participants are not required to be CareSource members.

"We are thrilled to partner with CareSource in our mission to promote the healthy development of young Hoosier children through reading aloud with their families everyday.” said Dr. Katie Swec, MD, FAAP, Reach Out and Read medical director. “CareSource's commitment to Reach Out and Read Indiana not only supports children in their school readiness journey, but also provides positive read aloud experiences for young children and families to share that are so critical for building healthy relationships."

The new program locations will serve local children from ages six months through five years. Each child will receive a developmentally appropriate book to take home at each WCV, which can build a child’s collection up to ten new books before kindergarten. By introducing a new book at the beginning of a WCV, providers have found they can better engage and calm the child, provide meaningful, positive literacy promotion messages to the parent or caregiver, enable additional opportunities for positive caregiver/child interactions and build stronger connections with the family.

“This partnership gives CareSource an innovative way to meet our members where they are by supporting well child outcomes,” said Steve Smitherman, president of CareSource Indiana. “We’re excited to continue addressing literacy as a social determinant of health for young Hoosiers and their families.”