Community Organizations

Community resources provide residents with information, education, social support, and local health and social services. Community organizations can evaluate local needs and incorporate health literacy strategies and activities to contribute to the well-being of community members. Adult literacy and English-language instruction can be especially important to those who need help finding and using easy-to-understand health information and services. The resources on this page can help community organizations, literacy, and English-language education programs recognize and respond to community members health information and communication needs. The resources may also help other individuals and organizations identify common interests and opportunities to work with community groups.

Community Educators and Providers

• Adult literacy and health literacy resources (World Education: The Health Literacy Special Collection 2011)
• An English as a Second Language Health and Wellness Curriculum (Expecting the best 2009)
• Health Literacy Curriculum for ESOL learners (Queens Library Adult Learner Program, 2010)
• Health Literacy In Adult Basic Education: Designing Lessons, Units and Evaluation Plans for an Integrated Curriculum (Source: Health Literacy Studies, Harvard School of Public Health 2007)
• Health Literacy Study Circles (National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy 2007)
• Helping Older Adults Search for Health Information Online: A Toolkit for Trainers (NIH Senior Health 2010)
• Literacy Assistance Center Health Literacy Initiative
  The Literacy Assistance Center's New York City Health Literacy Initiative offers a variety of materials to help adult education practitioners and healthcare providers understand and work to improve health literacy.
• Literacy Discussion Lists (Source: LINCS, U.S. Department of Education)
• Refugee Health Information Network (Refugee Health Information Network 2011)
• Research-based Health Literacy Materials and Instruction Guide, Beginning ABE and ESL Levels (National Institute for Literacy 2008)
• Staying Healthy for Beginners: An English Learner's Guide to Health Care and Healthy Living (Teacher's Guide) [504 KB, 54 Pages]
• World Education Health Literacy Special Collection (Source: World Education 2011)
• In It Together- National Health Literacy Project for Black MSM (Source: Health Resources and Services Administration)

For more information, please review the complete text of Goal 3 [666 KB, 73 Pages] in the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. See: Section 3, Goal 3.