Assembled at the Sunwood Mansion are, from left: New York State Assemblyman Robert K. Sweeney, Co-Honoree; Danielle Campbell, Co-anchor, News 12 Long Island, Mistress of Ceremonies; Gini Booth, Executive Director, Literacy Suffolk; Aldustus E. Jordan, Ed.D., Board President, and Associate Dean, School of Medicine; and Richard N. Fine, M.D., Dean, School of Medicine.

STONY BROOK, N.Y., October 20, 2008 – The Stony Brook University School of Medicine received the 2008 “Leadership in Literacy” Award from Literacy Suffolk, Inc., for its continued support and ongoing programs in health literacy. The School was honored, along with New York State Assemblyman Robert K. Sweeney, at Literacy Suffolk’s annual meeting, held at the Sunwood Mansion in Oldfield, N.Y., on September 13.

The School of Medicine has collaborated with Literacy Suffolk since the organization’s inception 30 years ago. During that time more than 6,000 literacy volunteers have been trained and more than 11,000 students tutored. Many physicians, nurses, and other faculty/staff of the School have taken part in training and tutoring programs in the effort to assist the one in seven Suffolk County citizens who cannot read or are challenged regarding reading literacy, particularly in the area of health literacy.

 “It is imperative that we educate the next generation of healthcare professionals, especially physicians, in sensitizing them to the adverse consequences of lack of health literacy, develop their cultural competence, and create a process to enhance the health literacy of our patients,” said Richard N. Fine, M.D, Dean, SBU School of Medicine, when accepting the award on behalf of the School. “Health literacy has compounded importance in our area because Suffolk County has an increasing immigrant and socially disadvantaged population, a group which is particularly vulnerable and frequently suffers from lack of health literacy.”

Dr. Fine cited several Stony Brook initiatives that are central to training medical staff on health literacy. These include a curriculum developed in partnership with Literacy Suffolk for primary care residents, the incorporation of a Cultural Competence program into the medical school curriculum and at the School’s Clinical Skills Center, and language classes for Stony Brook University Medical Center personnel at the Stony Brook University Adult Literacy Center.

“Health literacy is the utmost challenge for many individuals who cannot read or have low literacy,” adds Aldustus E. Jordan, Ed.D., Associate Dean, SBU School of Medicine, and Board President, Literacy Suffolk. “To have trained healthcare professionals who are culturally-sensitive assist such individuals in health literacy is a tremendous asset.”

Dr. Jordan, other School of Medicine faculty, and other Long Island community and healthcare leaders will join a Literacy Suffolk symposium this month to delve into the issue of health literacy. Titled “Health Literacy: A Social, Economic, and Political Imperative on Long Island,” the symposium takes place on October 24 at Molloy College Suffolk Center in East Farmingdale, N.Y.

The mission of Literacy Suffolk is to effect countywide change by improving individual literacy skills through the valuable use of trained volunteers and by expanding community awareness.

Established in 1971, the Stony Brook University School of Medicine includes 25 academic departments centered on education, training, and advancing scientific research. The primary mission of the School is to educate caring and skilled physicians well-prepared to enter graduate and specialty training programs.

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