The Oklahoma Health Equity Campaign (OHEC) prepares for October’s Health Literacy Month with a meetingTuesday, Sept. 29 to discuss libraries and health organizations as partners in community (public) health. The public is welcome to attend the meeting being held from 9:30 -11:30 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), 1000 N.E. 10th St., Oklahoma City in Room 806.
Health literacy is the ability of a person to obtain, communicate, process, and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions.
The OHEC is collaborating with the Oklahoma Department of Libraries’ Adult Literacy Office and the Institute of Museum and Library Servicesto bring Michelle Malizia to Oklahoma.
Maliziahas more than 13 years of experience providing instruction in a wide range of topics including grant writing, emerging technologies and health information literacy. She created a workshop for grants and proposal writing in 2002, and has presented it to more than 700 people representing a wide array of organizations such as health departments, libraries, universities, hospitals and community-based groups.
Other guest speakers include Lori Lake, executive director of the Reach Out and Read program, and also Dr. Marny Dunlap who is a pediatrician and an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She is also the medical director for Reach Out and Read Oklahoma.
Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based pediatric literacy program that partners with providers to "prescribe" books and encourage families to read together. Doctors, nurse practitioners and other medical professionals incorporate the program into regular pediatric checkups by advising parents about the importance of reading aloud and giving developmentally-appropriate books to children.
The meeting will also offer updates concerning housing and public transportation.
To participate locally, call (405) 271-9444, ext. 56543 or email karlab@health.ok.gov to check the availability of a local health department to participate by videoconference. The following local health departments are scheduled to link:
For more information about the Oklahoma Health Equity Campaign, visit www.okhealthequity.org or call Marisa New, Manager, OSDH Health Equity & Resource Opportunities Division, (405) 271-9444 ext. 56410.
Last Modified on
Jun 03, 2022
