Staff report

The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) has announced a new prevention-focused effort designed to strengthen family connectedness, promote healthy child development, and support lifelong mental wellness through literacy and shared reading experiences.

The Reading for Resiliency initiative is being launched through a partnership between DBH and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio, bringing together literacy, prevention and family wellness strategies to support children and families across Ohio.

The Department will implement community-based reading programming across multiple regions of the state, through the Ohio Children’s Alliance. The initiative uses reading and storytelling as a prevention strategy to build positive developmental outcomes for Ohio children and families.

“Reading together creates opportunities for connection, emotional growth and resilience,” said DBH Director Tia Marcel Moretti. “This initiative recognizes that literacy is not only foundational to academic success, but also an important tool for strengthening families, reducing stress, encouraging healthy coping skills, and building stronger communities.”

Reading for Resiliency events will bring together children, parents, caregivers, educators, prevention professionals and community partners to promote literacy and strengthen protective factors that support behavioral health and wellness.

As a key partner in the initiative, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio will help connect eligible Ohio families with access to free, high-quality books delivered directly to children from birth to age five, further strengthening early literacy and school readiness efforts statewide.

Sam Dillon, chief communications officer for the DBH, said there is no breakdown of which Ohio counties are receiving funds because it hasn’t been decided yet.

The initiative was developed in response to growing concerns from families and communities regarding youth mental wellness, social connection and excessive screen time. The program will integrate literacy activities with broader wellness initiatives including behavioral health education, digital wellness resources, nutrition programming, and community health engagement opportunities.

Programming will:

• Provide age-appropriate books and literacy materials for children and families.

• Promote shared reading as a strategy to strengthen parent-child relationships and emotional development.

• Increase awareness of the connection between literacy, resilience and mental wellness.

• Encourage healthy alternatives to excessive screen time through family engagement activities.

• Connect families to local prevention, wellness and behavioral health resources.

• Partner with youth-led prevention programs, community coalitions, libraries, schools and health organizations to build community partnerships and maximize impact.