The toolkit provides pediatric practices with resources to integrate early literacy into primary care.
NEW YORK, NY—November 13, 2024—A toolkit released today by United Hospital Fund provides a practical guide for implementing effective early literacy strategies in pediatric primary care settings, which could ultimately help pediatricians address immediate health needs and long-term developmental outcomes for children across New York and beyond.
Early childhood literacy is a powerful catalyst for lifelong success. In fact, children who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school or fail to graduate from high school. And children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to be developmentally on track by kindergarten. Known as trusted sources of information and support, there’s growing awareness that pediatricians have an important role to play in ensuring young children get the healthy start they need.
UHF’s toolkit, titled One Book at a Time: The Milstein Toolkit to Promote Early Childhood Literacy in Primary Care Settings, provides pediatricians and their community partners with actionable steps to nurture these critical literacy skills. Its recommendations stem from UHF’s Pediatric Steps to Literacy project, a three-year initiative that partners with New York City primary care practices serving predominantly marginalized populations to implement early literacy interventions.
“This toolkit will equip pediatricians with the resources and strategies to make a lasting impact on children’s early literacy skills—laying the groundwork for their long-term success and wellbeing,” said UHF President and CEO Oxiris Barbot, MD. “We particularly hope these tools can help level the playing field for children in high-need areas, who face deepening disparities in educational outcomes.”
Leveraging lessons learned during the first two years of its literacy project, the UHF toolkit guides practitioners in five key areas: engaging pediatric providers; program design and implementation; building community partnerships; funding sources, vendors, and advocacy; and evaluation and continuous improvement. It also provides practical resources, including an overview of UHF’s literacy project curriculum, sample surveys pediatricians can use to collect literacy data, examples of frameworks for goal setting, and success stories from participating pediatric practices.
“UHF’s Pediatric Steps to Literacy, One Book at a Time program has yielded promising and effective strategies for integrating early childhood literacy into routine care,” said report author and UHF Program Manager Gabriela Groenke, MA. “With these insights, pediatric providers can become pivotal early touchpoints for children and families in their literacy and educational journeys.”
The literacy toolkit is made possible by Howard P. Milstein, who also supported the Pediatric Steps to Literacy project, along with the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. The report was written by Ms. Groenke with editorial support from UHF Senior Program Manager Susan Olivera, MPH, who leads UHF's Pediatric Steps to Literacy Project.
UHF’s literacy work comes at a critical time for New York’s youth. According to a 2022 national report on the nation’s literacy landscape, reading scores among fourth graders have declined significantly since 2019. In New York, fourth-grade proficiency levels have dropped even more sharply than the national average, showing a critical need to address literacy challenges.
Launched in 2022, UHF’s Pediatric Steps to Literacy project partnered with nine primary care practices in its first two years serving predominantly marginalized populations in Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. Practices received training, introduced literacy-focused models, and established partnerships with community organizations to promote literacy-rich environments. The project, which will wrap up its third year in 2024, has so far reached more than 3,000 children, the majority of whom are under 5 years old.
The literacy toolkit can be downloaded free of charge on UHF’s website here.
About United Hospital Fund
United Hospital Fund works to build an effective and equitable health care system for every New Yorker. An independent, nonprofit organization, we are a force for improvement, analyzing public policy to inform decision-makers, finding common ground among diverse stakeholders, and developing and supporting innovative programs that improve health and health care. We work to dismantle barriers in health policy and health care delivery that prevent equitable opportunities for health. For more on our initiatives and programs please visit our website at www.uhfnyc.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X., Instagram, and Facebook.
About Howard P. Milstein
Mr. Milstein is the chairman, president, and chief executive officer of New York Private Bank & Trust and its operating bank, Emigrant Bank. He is a member of the board of United Hospital Fund and also Weill Cornell Health, among other health care leadership roles.
About The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York State that either provide direct healthcare services or address the social determinants of health. For more information, visit https://www.cabrinihealth.org/
