The Kansas Pediatric Foundation is the charitable arm of the Kansas Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics who supports the Turn a Page. Touch a Mind. ® early literacy program and the Kansas KidLink Children’s Mental Health database.
Mission Statement
To develop partnerships with individuals, foundations, and organizations who share our commitment for a healthy and meaningful life for our children and adolescents in Kansas.
Turn a Page. Touch a Mind. ®
Turn a Page. Touch a Mind.® (TAP-TAM) was developed in Kansas in 2004 to address early literacy and school readiness of our children. The program currently includes 118 sites throughout 73 communities in Kansas. At each of these TAP-TAM sites, during well-child exams from 6 months through 5 years, physicians give the child a brand new, developmentally appropriate book and parents are given concrete and age-appropriate advice about books and reading at home. Studies show that because this guidance is coming from a trusted source, the childs physician, parents will follow through. TAP-TAM sites distribute approximately 120,000 books to Kansas kids each year!
Kansas KidLink
The KidLink – Children’s Mental Health Initiative is to increase the number of children (ages 0 –18) detected and referred for appropriate mental health treatment. Kansas KidLink is an online statewide resource list ,www.kansaskidlink.org that consists of a comprehensive list of mental health providers that provide services for children that can be searched by county.