Health Literacy Activities by State
K-12 Literacy and Numeracy State Data
- National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading, Math and Science scores for 4th, 8th and 12th gradersexternal icon
- Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) Reading, Math and Science Literacy scores for 15 year oldsexternal icon
The links on this page include state and local collaborations and academic, government and non-profit organizations with a health literacy focus. In line with the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy pdf icon[665 KB, 73 Pages]external icon, activities listed on this page cross organizational boundaries, provide new knowledge to the field, or convene diverse stakeholders. Links to organizations promoting their own internal health literacy activities or individuals promoting their health literacy services will not be included on this page. Web sites reproducing material already available on this site also will not be included. Please read the web site selection policy pdf icon[100 KB, 2 Pages, HTML] before nominating links for this page. You may send suggestions for new links to healthliteracy@cdc.gov.
Alabama
Alabama Health Literacy Initiativeexternal icon
The purpose of the Alabama Health Literacy Initiative is to support patient-centered educational opportunities, guide outreach activities, and create partnerships to advance health literacy and improve health outcomes in the state of Alabama.
Arizona
Arizona Health Literacy Coalitionexternal icon
The Arizona Health Literacy Coalition is an informal group of individuals and organizations interested in promoting health literacy in Arizona.
Health Choice Arizonaexternal icon
Health Choice Arizona seeks to improve health literacy by providing education and resources at community events.
Arkansas
Partnership for Health Literacy in Arkansasexternal icon
The mission of The Partnership is to improve health literacy among Arkansans by developing strategies and promoting collaboration.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Center for Health Literacyexternal icon
The mission of the UAMS Center for Health Literacy is to improve society and population health by making health information easier to understand and use.
Colorado
Colorado Health Literacy Coalition (CHLC)external icon
The Colorado Health Literacy Coalition promotes health literacy by providing resources, training and best practices through collaboration with organizations across the state.
Florida
Florida Health Literacy Initiativeexternal icon
The Florida Health Literacy Initiative provides health-education resources to local adult programs for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and to family literacy programs so that students in these programs can make informed choices about their health and nutrition.
Georgia
Georgia Alliance for Health Literacyexternal icon
The Georgia Alliance for Health Literacy (GAHL) is a nonprofit, volunteer coalition representing educators, researchers, government officials, health care providers, health care payers, patients and consumers. GAHL members raise awareness about health literacy skills, offer health literacy resources, and foster better communication for a healthy Georgia and a robust health care industry.
Indiana
Indiana Center for Intercultural Communication (ICIC)external icon
ICIC works to improve health care through its linguistic and intercultural communication research. The goals of their evidence-based interventions are to facilitate patient understanding of written medical information and to create tailored patient-centered messaging for healthcare professional use.
Kansas
Health Literacy Tools at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC)external icon
The A.R. Dykes Library at KUMC provides links to a variety of health literacy resources.
Kentucky
Health Literacy Kentuckyexternal icon
Health Literacy Kentucky is a statewide coalition working for a healthier commonwealth through improved health literacy.
Maryland
Horowitz Center for Health Literacy, University of Maryland external icon
The Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy:
- Conducts interdisciplinary research in health communication and health literacy
- Translates research findings into education, recommendations, policy proposals, and community action
Massachusetts
Lawrence (Massachusetts) Health Literacy Programexternal icon
This program is in partnership with the Mayor’s Health Task Force of Lawrence, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center’s residency program, and Lawrence Youth Council. It provides 8 health kiosks, a youth information booth, and a health literacy after-school program at the public library.
Michigan
Michigan Health Literacy Collaborative
The Michigan Health Literacy Collaborative does not currently have a website. However, you may contact Doris Ravotas at doris.ravotas@wmich.edu if you are looking for a health literacy group in Michigan.
Minnesota
Minnesota Health Literacy Partnershipexternal icon
The mission of the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership is to improve the health of all Minnesotans through clear health communication.
Missouri
Health Literacy Media (HLM)external icon
HLM is a non-profit corporation based in St. Louis with a mission to improve the health of Missourians and all people while becoming a global leader in health literacy.
New York
Community Health Network’s Health Literacy Initiativeexternal icon
The Community Health Network (CHN) is made up of 14 federally qualified health centers throughout Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan, along with a fleet of mobile vans that bring health services to people who are medically underserved throughout New York City. CHN provides trainings and technical support to assist organizations in becoming health literate.
North Carolina
North Carolina Health Literacyexternal icon
The Health Sciences Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) serves as the information hub of health literacy efforts on campus and throughout the state of North Carolina. The library offers workshops and training for students, educators and health care professionals to raise awareness of the impact of low health literacy, as well as strategies and tools to incorporate health literacy into practice to improve health outcomes.
Ohio
Ohio Health Literacy Partnersexternal icon
Ohio Health Literacy Partners (OHLP) is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Ohioans to make informed health choices through improved health literacy.
OHLP was created in 2013 to bring together a coalition of interested professionals from around Ohio who have expertise in health literacy. The intent is to address the individual, professional. and organizational challenges of low health literacy throughout the state.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Health Equity Campaignexternal icon
The Oklahoma Health Equity Campaign is a statewide collaborative of faith-based, community, educational, public and private organizations, and all levels of government that works to eliminate inequities for all populations. Their Health Literacy Clearinghouseexternal icon provides health literacy information in several formats for the public, health professionals, educators, researchers, and health advocates.
Oregon
Pacific University Librariesexternal icon
The Pacific University Libraries’ Health Literacy for Interprofessional Education eToolkit has tools and resources to help faculty members prepare future practicing health professionals to care for patients who have low health literacy. In addition, the libraries invite current and future students, clinicians, and anyone interested in learning more about taking control of their health and health communication to use the site.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Health Literacy Coalitionexternal icon
The Pennsylvania Health Literacy Coalition fosters collaboration and partnerships, builds infrastructure for health literacy training, and creates a culture of health literacy in Pennsylvania. The ultimate goal of these activities is to improve health communication and ensure good health for all.
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South Carolina
South Carolina Hospital Association Health Literacy Initiativeexternal icon
The South Carolina Hospital Association and researchers at the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health have developed an initiative that assesses patient communication needs and uses an evidenced-based strategy to improve health literacy, patient-provider communication, and health outcomes.
Texas
Health Literacy Texasexternal icon
The mission of Health Literacy Texas is to help create, support, and maintain statewide health literacy initiatives to reach optimum population health in Texas. The organization’s vision is to have a culture of health literacy across Texas.
SaferCare Texasexternal icon
SaferCare Texas, a department within the University of North Texas Science Center, is dedicated to improving the quality and safety of health care in Texas and throughout the nation. Their online course, Enhance Your Understanding of Culture & Linguisticsexternal icon, is designed to help health care professionals obtain the foundational knowledge needed to provide culturally and linguistically safe care that is well understood by patients.
Virginia
Health Education and Literacy (HEAL) Programexternal icon
The HEAL Program offers classes for adults with low health literacy so that they can better communicate with healthcare professionals. The program also offers training to medical staff to meet the needs of all their patients.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Health Literacyexternal icon
Wisconsin Health Literacy (WHL) is a statewide organization raising awareness of the importance of health literacy and fostering better communication between health care consumers and health care providers. WHL is a division of Wisconsin Literacy, Inc.external icon, a nonprofit coalition representing a membership of 73 community-based adult and family literacy agencies.
- CDC funded state, local, territorial and tribal programs in school health
- National Network of Libraries of Medicineexternal icon
- National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) list of state health departments and public information contacts (under agency links)external icon
- ProLiteracy: State and Local Adult Literacy Offices and Programsexternal icon
- Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) state chaptersexternal icon