Building Healthier Futures Through Reading: Valleywise Health and Raising a Reader
At Valleywise Health, caring for families means looking beyond clinical care to what truly supports lifelong health. As Arizona’s only public teaching health system—and the state’s largest safety-net provider—Valleywise Health serves communities where access, equity, and opportunity matter deeply.
Through eight Family Resource Centers located within Federally Qualified Health Centers, Valleywise Health helps families reduce barriers and strengthen stability. These centers provide free programs focused on early childhood development, literacy, and family well-being—critical building blocks for long-term success.
When selecting literacy programming, Valleywise Health sought an evidence-based approach that aligned with their commitment to early relational health. Raising a Reader stood out for its proven model and focus on family engagement. Initially implemented through a partnership with Southwest Human Development, the program is now fully led by trained Family Resource Center staff, ensuring sustainability and deeper community connection.
Raising a Reader supports families in building meaningful relationships through shared reading—helping caregivers establish routines that nurture language development, emotional connection, and school readiness. As Valleywise Health staff note, the program offers “classes for families to learn ways to incorporate reading into their everyday lives.”