Healthfirst NJ and Reach Out and Read Partner to Provide Families With Free Reading Materials
Contact:
Edith Gamarra
1-212-801-1438
egamarra@healthfirst.org
Lindsey Callahan
1-212-801-3288
lcallahan@healthfirst.org
NEWARK, NJ, October 29, 2010 - Healthfirst Health Plan of New Jersey, Inc., (Healthfirst NJ) has partnered with Reach Out and Read, a nonprofit organization that prepares young children to succeed in school by providing free age-appropriate books to families when they visit their pediatrician.
Healthfirst NJ has donated $50,000 to support the Reach Out and Read program, which will be implemented at select physician offices, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and hospitals in New Jersey. As part of the program, participating physicians and other healthcare professionals speak with parents about the importance of reading aloud to their young children and offer age-appropriate tips. They also give the child, from six (6) months through five (5) years of age, a developmentally and culturally appropriate book to take home.
“Healthfirst NJ is proud to participate in Reach Out and Read and help children from an early age get a head start on learning,” said Terence L. Byrd, President of Healthfirst NJ. “This program provides an opportunity to help young children realize their potential by providing them with the resources and inspiration to develop a love and appreciation for reading, which will provide them with the tools to succeed in life.”
To get age appropriate book recommendations, tips on how to read to your children or to learn more about Reach Out and Read, visit www.reachoutandread.org.
About Healthfirst NJ
Healthfirst Health Plan of New Jersey, Inc. (Healthfirst NJ) is a not-for-profit managed care organization that provides government-sponsored health insurance programs, including Medicare and NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid to eligible children, parents and Medicare beneficiaries living in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex and Union counties. Healthfirst NJ is part of the Healthfirst family of companies which includes Healthfirst in New York, HF Management Services and Senior Health Partners (SHP), a not-for-profit managed long term care plan serving Medicaid-eligible clients. Visit www.healthfirstnj.org to learn more about Healthfirst NJ and our service areas.
About Reach Out and Read
Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based, national nonprofit organization that prepares America’s youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. Reach Out and Read currently serves one-third of the most impoverished children in the U.S. The Reach Out and Read model is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the program has one of the strongest records of research support of any primary care intervention. This year, Reach Out and Read’s 26,500 volunteer doctors and nurse practitioners will provide 6.2 million new books to 3.9 million children at 4,535 healthcare locations in all 50 states. For further information, please visit Reach Out and Read's website at www.reachoutandread.org.
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