About Us

ROR AI/AN was established in 2007 as a partnership between the AAP Committee on Native American Child Health (CONACH), the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the ROR National Center to:

• Expand the ROR program to additional Indian Health Service/Tribal/Urban (I/T/U) programs across the country
• Secure and appropriately distribute fund for each site’s annual book budget
• Provide site-based training, technical assistance, and quality improvement visits to I/T/U sites
• Procure books with Native American themes and making books in Native American languages available

Why Focus on American Indian/Alaska Native Children?

• I/T/U sites across the country provide care to a large proportion of AI/AN children, and provide an established infrastructure to reach this population. 
• There are limited AI/AN-themed children’s books available, and those that exist are quite expensive.
• Early language development is recognized as essential for later school achievement of young children. More than a decade of peer-reviewed, published research shows ROR to be a highly effective strategy for school success.
  

Facts About ROR AI/AN

The ROR Model
Doctors and nurse practitioners are trained to give advice to parents about appropriate books and reading activities that support their child’s healthy development.
Children get to take home a free, new, developmentally appropriate book at every check-up from birth to five years.
Trained volunteers read aloud to children in waiting rooms, modeling for parents how to share books and tell stories, and engage families in waiting room activities surrounding books and reading.

• 79 Sites (click here for map and list of Sites)
• 40,000 children ages 6 months – 5 years served
• Over 53,000 books distributed each year

Current Activities
Current Coalition efforts are focused on:

• Procuring Native-themed books for ROR Sites
• Fundraising—the Coalition is working on securing funding to provide books to new sites.

Leadership
The Advisory Board. led by two co-Medical Directors, provides oversight and guidance to ROR AI/AN activities.

Medical Directors

William Flood MD, FAAP Chinle, AZ
Steve Holve MD, FAAP Tuba City, AZ

Advisory Board

Bronwen Anders MD, FAAP San Diego, CA
George Brenneman MD, FAAP Catonsville, MD
Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki) Greenfield Center, NY
Brady Englestead MD, FAAP Pawhuska, OK
Barbara Johnson Washington D.C.
Debbie Reese (Nambe Pueblo) Urbana, IL
Pat VanMaanen Phoenix, AZ