Stakeholders press for expanded early‑literacy funding and family supports including Imagination Library, Ready to Read and mental‑health consultation

Multiple early‑literacy advocates and family‑support program leaders testified in support of DELC's literacy and family engagement proposals during the SB 5514 hearing and urged additional investment in complementary programs.

Alyssa Chatterjee, Director of the Department of Early Learning and Care, described a $12,500,000 general fund proposal to support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a birth‑through‑5 literacy framework with the Oregon Department of Education and birth‑through‑5 literacy grants. "We were privileged to house birth to 5 literacy plan fund dollars this year and invest them in partnership with various agencies," testified Abby Litzkovsky, an early learning coordinator for a regional hub.

Speakers recommended additional literacy funding and highlighted different line items and impacts. Lisa Harnish, executive director of Marion and Polk Early Learning Hub, cited a larger literacy investment figure when describing impacts in her region and urged support for the Imagination Library; she said the hub had delivered 115,713 books to 9,182 children in her region since program start and currently had 7,308 active children receiving books. Jeremy Skinner, governance council chair for the South Coast Regional Early Learning Hub and library director, urged adding $800,000 to the State Library's Ready to Read fund, noting that even modest increases would materially raise grants for smaller libraries.

Public‑health and clinical partners advocated for mental‑health consultation and family‑education supports. Julie Young, a retired clinical social worker, and Dr. Shauna Tomony, state coordinator for the Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative (OPAC), urged increases for infant mental‑health consultation and parenting education; Chatterjee had identified $4,350,000 in the governor's recommended budget for infant/childhood mental‑health consultants to support Every Child Belongs.

Reach Out and Read requested inclusion of a $25,000,000 early‑literacy investment described in an earlier pot (PO 580) that would support culturally specific programs, coaching and language revitalization work in federally recognized tribes. "Starting with our youngest learners is crucial to long term improvement of literacy rates for all Oregon," said Shannon Blood, associate director for policy and partnerships at Reach Out and Read.

Speakers emphasized coordinating the investments across hubs, libraries, clinics and community providers so families can access the option that fits their language and cultural needs. Committee members asked for a fuller list of existing literacy programs and how state funds would be allocated at the local level.