Clinic Spotlight: Beyond Pediatric and Family Medicine clinics, Reach Out and Read Colorado partners with 40 immunization clinics statewide across. During immunization visits, families receive a new book and can browse gently used books available in clinic waiting areas.
Through partnerships with immunization clinics, we reach children and families who may lack access to routine well-child healthcare visits. Since 2008, clinicians at partner immunization clinics have collectively distributed 148,740 books to children across Colorado.
Thank you to our public health clinicians for thoughtfully incorporating books into immunization visits with young children and families.
Below are provider testimonials highlighting the impact of Reach Out and Read within public health immunization clinics across Colorado.
“Since 2011, we have been providing Reach Out and Read books to our children during our immunization visits. Our staff choose “just the right” book and during the 15-minute post vaccination period it becomes very rewarding for our staff to witness the bonding and positive interaction between parents and children around the book.
These books also help soothe and distract the children from what sometimes can be a traumatic experience and we frequently see older siblings engaging in shared reading with their younger family members.”
Provider | Prowers County Public Health Immunization Clinic
“Even though some of the children we see are nervous when they first come in, I’ve noticed that many parents help calm their children by reading to them. It’s such a nice bonding moment, for the child and the parent!”
Nurse | Adams County Health Department Immunization
“We really enjoy being a Reach out and Read Colorado partner. As an immunization clinic at a public health department there are a multitude of benefits: we promote early literacy, we give free books in multiple languages to families – most of which are uninsured or on Medicaid, and the books themselves are a wonderful comfort measure we utilize during vaccine appointments.”