Reach Out and Read Medical Leadership

The Reach Out and Read Medical Leadership network unites clinicians across the country who are deeply involved with Reach Out and Read, going beyond implementation of the model. This group of medical leaders can explore timely news, training, resources and research, plus opportunities — based on individual interest and expertise — to engage with the National office to support and guide Reach Out and Read.

Join Our Community

Interested in engaging with clinicians across the Reach Out and Read network? Learn what’s happening in their exam rooms, read thoughts on research and news, share your own exam room experiences, and so much more in the the quarterly Medical Leadership Newsletter. Click here to join the list!

Plus: Find additional engagement opportunities, like training and research, below.

Latest News

Keep up to date on new research and news!

Our team — in collaboration with Medical Leadership — will add news to this section biweekly. Find new articles here, share them with colleagues and peers, and even contribute your own thoughts.

You can submit your reflection or commentary on one of these articles here. Each quarter, we’ll use one in our Medical Leadership Newsletter.

The Power of Parent Cafés: HMG Northwest Florida’s Approach to Fueling Family Success Through Goal Concordant Care (GCC)

Reach Out and Read commentary:

As “third spaces” continue to shrink1 and Americans struggle with a crisis of loneliness2, reading an article about supporting parents effectively brought me joy. These “Family Cafes”, created by Help Me Grow, gave parents an opportunity to meet with facilitators and other families, helping give connection with others in their community. The experiment in NW Florida showed that with relatively little capital investment, these pop-up community gatherings can easily be organized and advertised. The meetings bring parents together, where they can focus on the parents’ goals and dreams; the parents also receive help from the facilitator to clearly identify those goals (using motivational interviewing techniques3) and make plans to achieve those goals.

Finding a space, every quarter, to meet other parents and help refresh your dreams (especially after many sleepless nights with crying babies) feels like a great win for our increasingly disconnected society.

Read the complete article here.

1 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6934089/
2 https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
3 Why Motivational Interviewing? – UB Motivational Interviewing Center

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How to Practice Phonics With Kids at Home | Scholastic

Phonics helps young children connect letters with sounds, building essential reading skills. Effective phonics instruction is structured and interactive, with schools using systematic methods and parents reinforcing learning through games, conversation, and daily reading. Encouraging fluency through activities like rhyming, word ladders, and repeated reading supports comprehension and confidence in early readers.

Read the complete article here.

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How to improve child care quality: talking more to kids

A growing number of early childhood programs are prioritizing teacher-child conversations, recognizing that frequent, responsive interactions build critical language, cognitive, and social skills. In Birmingham, teachers using LENA “talk pedometers” and coaching saw children become more engaged, while states like Louisiana and Virginia are making teacher-child interactions central to child care quality assessments.

Read the complete article here.

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The Power of Parent Cafés: HMG Northwest Florida’s Approach to Fueling Family Success Through Goal Concordant Care (GCC)
How to Practice Phonics With Kids at Home | Scholastic
How to improve child care quality: talking more to kids
Training Opportunities
Interested in expanding your Reach Out and Read practice beyond Core Training? Learn more at the link below.
> Check Out Additional Training
Research
Reach Out and Read conducts research that shines a light on the positive outcomes of delivery of our model and reveals new areas where we can benefit young children, their families, and our network.
> Explore Our Approach
News Archive
Want to review a previously shared article? Did you miss our biweekly update? Find all of our previous articles archived here.
> Visit News Archive
Reach Out and Read Podcast
Among all the great podcast episodes, you’ll find bimonthly Science Sessions that highlight additional research.
> Listen Now
Clinician Spotlight
Get to know our Medical Leadership community! We’ll highlight work, recognize partnership, and share their passion for Reach Out and Read.
> Meet Dr. Chung
From My Exam
Room To Yours
Our model keeps us united! Hear directly from clinicians, reflecting on their Reach Out and Read practice.
> Read More