PROCLAIMING OCTOBER 2025 AS "HEALTH LITERACY MONTH" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Kamela Smith & Rep. Burns & Rep. Bush & Rep. Carson & Rep. K. Johnson & Rep. Minor-Brown & Rep. Morrison & Rep. Ortega & Rep. Osienski & Sen. Hansen & Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Pinkney & Sen. Sokola & Sen. Wilson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 67

PROCLAIMING OCTOBER 2025 AS "HEALTH LITERACY MONTH" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, health literacy is essential for individuals to understand their health information, make informed decisions, and take control over their health and wellness; and

WHEREAS, the American Medical Association estimates that 9 in 10 Americans lack health literacy understanding to help prevent disease, manage chronic conditions, and effectively seek and obtain healthcare; and

WHEREAS, many people who struggle with health information have difficulties with understanding labels and health messages, following medicine instructions, decreased use of preventive care and services, increased use of emergency departments and hospitalizations, poor health status, higher mortality in the elderly, shorter life expectancy, poor physical and mental health, and low satisfaction with health care; and

WHEREAS, improving low health literacy can reduce health care costs, improve the accessibility, quality, safety, and patient satisfaction of healthcare, and improve the health and quality of life for all Delawareans; and

WHEREAS, as one of the most densely populated states in the country, Delaware is especially vulnerable to the effects of low health literacy. Research shows 35% of Delawareans, aged 16 to 74, are not proficient readers; at least 20% read below a sixth-grade level, and 13% read below a third-grade level. To address this health literacy crisis, the Health Literacy Council of Delaware (HLCD) was created, and its goal is to ensure that every Delawarean understands their health information to make more informed healthcare decisions; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, the Division of Public Health, ChristianaCare, and the Delaware Healthcare Association lead the HLCD and are creating a strategic plan that includes training health care professionals to use health literacy universal precautions when interacting with their patients, and are promoting statewide health literacy messaging, to both reduce health disparities and address social determinants of health; and

WHEREAS, Health Literacy Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness and promote initiatives that enhance health literacy among Delawareans; and

WHEREAS, in both 2023 and 2024, Former Governor John C. Carney proclaimed October as Health Literacy Month and called for observance of the month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that October 2025 is hereby recognized as "Health Literacy Month" in the State of Delaware.

SYNOPSIS

This House concurrent resolution proclaims October 2025 as "Health Literacy Month" in the State of Delaware.