| The Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) joins the Kansas Pediatric Foundation (KPF) and the Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (KAAP) to launch "Turn a page. Touch a mind." - the first statewide program in Kansas in which medical practitioners help prepare children for school and a healthy life by promoting reading with children from birth to age 5. "The first five years are the most critical time to prepare children for a lifetime of learning and lay the foundation for our most precious resources to grow into healthy adults," said Marni Vliet, president & CEO of the Kansas Health Foundation. "The Foundation's commitment to early child development is not only evident with this campaign but will be a significant focus of our work to come." Studies show that children who are introduced to books early in life are well-prepared for success in school. And children who complete their education are less likely to experience poverty and are more likely to have positive health behaviors. "Turn a page. Touch a mind." is based on the nationally successful Reach Out and Read (ROR) literacy program. ROR, in operation for more than 15 years, has demonstrated that if a parent and child are given a book by a medical practitioner at each well-child checkup, the chances increase significantly that the child will have the skills to later become a proficient reader. "We saw the ROR model and felt compelled to expound on its message and spread it across Kansas," said Vliet. "And it just made sense that we partner with the Kansas Pediatric Foundation and the Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics for this endeavor. We're both focused on ensuring that Kansas children grow up healthy in mind and body." "Turn a page. Touch a mind." is a two-part initiative: one part takes place in physician offices across Kansas. The second part communicates the message through a statewide mass media campaign.
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