25 LC 112 3018
House Resolution 319
By: Representatives Schofield of the 63
rd
, Dubnik of the 29
th
, Rice of the 139
th
, Davis of the
87
th
, Scott of the 76
th
, and others
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing February 19, 2025, as Reach Out and Read Day at the state capitol to recognize
1
the power of reading to young children every day; and for other purposes.2
WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read's early literacy intervention began in 1989 at Boston3
Medical Center and has expanded to 50 states, serving 5.7 million families today. Georgia's4
affiliate office launched in 2012 and now serves 194,258 children and families in 81 counties5
at 208 hospitals, pediatric practices, clinics, and home visiting program sites with 1086
medical sites that have applications in progress to become Reach Out and Read sites; and7
WHEREAS, over 1,000 medical providers and staff have been trained in the evidence based8
early literacy intervention program of Reach Out and Read Georgia, offering each child an9
opportunity to be read to and to learn to read; and10
WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read has trained 36,000 pediatricians and medical providers11
who prescribe reading as a daily activity during wellness checkups; and12
WHEREAS, over the past 12 months, 388,516 well child checkups (engaging approximately13
194,258 children and families) were conducted across Georgia with pediatricians and14
providers implementing the Reach Out and Read program; and15
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WHEREAS, in that same time, 289,422 new children's books were distributed through the
16
program's pediatric network to children aged five years old and younger; and17
WHEREAS, since the program's inception, over 2.7 million new children's books have been18
given to young children in Georgia by pediatric providers beginning at the very first newborn19
visit through a child's fifth birthday, and children in the program demonstrate a six-month20
developmental edge compared to children not enrolled in the program when arriving at21
kindergarten; and22
WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read is the only early literacy intervention endorsed by the23
American Academy of Pediatrics and has the most extensive body of research supporting the24
efficacy of the program model with 26 studies supporting its work; and25
WHEREAS, pediatricians prescribe reading as a daily activity and parents take these26
prescriptions to heart, increasing social and emotional bonds with their children while27
increasing their exposure to positive interactions and creating special, meaningful moments;28
and29
WHEREAS, positive emotional bonding between a parent and child has been demonstrated30
to help mitigate the damaging effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES); and31
WHEREAS, pediatric offices implementing Reach Out and Read have cited an increase in32
wellness visit compliance during the earliest years of life, a time when most immunizations33
occur; and34
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WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read has the ability to serve as the intersection of education and
35
healthcare, offering unprecedented access to the pediatric community, children, and families;36
and37
WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read Georgia will provide quality, diverse, and developmentally38
and linguistically appropriate books in 30 languages to medical sites across Georgia; and39
WHEREAS, 1,500 medical providers and staff implement the Reach Out and Read Georgia40
program every day across the state, offering each child an opportunity to be read to and to41
learn to read; and42
WHEREAS, medical providers prescribe reading at every wellness visit beginning at birth43
through age five.44
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that45
the members of this body commend the efforts of Reach Out and Read to give young46
children a foundation for success by incorporating books into the existing pediatric care47
infrastructure, encourage families in Georgia to read aloud together each and every day, and48
recognize February 19, 2025, as Reach Out and Read Day at the state capitol.49
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized50
and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Reach51
Out and Read Georgia.52
H. R. 319
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