Wellstar Announces Kevin Smith as President of Wellstar Spalding Medical Center and Wellstar Sylvan Grove Medical Center

The Wellstar Center for Health Equity, which strives to address health inequities across Georgia, and Small TALK, a literacy program made possible by donations to the Wellstar Foundation, have announced the launch of a pilot initiative in partnership with Cobb Collaborative. The Family Literacy Kits initiative will enhance health literacy among youth in the Fair Oaks community of Cobb County through the distribution of age-appropriate reading materials and educational resources.

Addressing a critical need

As one of many solutions to improve outcomes for children and their families, Cobb Collaborative is committed to uniting families, educators and community partners to enhance literacy and foster a love for reading among children. With two-thirds of Georgia’s third graders not reading at grade level, Cobb Collaborative’s Family Literacy Kit program intervenes with resources and support. By providing high-quality, age-appropriate reading materials for children from birth to age 5, this program fosters positive interactions between children and their caregivers and promotes kindergarten readiness. Family Literacy Kits address a critical need identified in Wellstar’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA): improving literacy as a social determinant of health.

Collaborative effort

Cobb Collaborative, a key player in the Get Georgia Reading Campaign, has been instrumental in improving third-grade reading levels across the community. This pilot initiative, supported by Wellstar Community Health and Wellstar Center for Health Equity, along with Small TALK, will distribute 10 Family Literacy Kits each month for a year through the Sibley Library. Kits will incorporate a bilingual book (in Spanish and English), a hands-on activity related to the book's theme, instructional inserts with additional activities and other resources. Wellstar will also contribute materials to support pediatric health education and access to social care such as food and transportation resources.

Rae-Anne Pinckney, manager of community benefit for the Wellstar Center for Health Equity, notes, "As we launch this initiative, we are reminded of the profound impact that early literacy can have on a child's future. By providing these Family Literacy Kits, we are not only fostering a love for reading, but also laying the foundation for lifelong learning and success. This work is crucial in bridging the literacy gap and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive."

The Family Literacy Kits pilot collaboration launched in January. Monthly themes include:

• January: Security and Exploration
• February: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
• March: Growth/Community
• April: Sleep Health
• May: Emotional Wellness
• June: Life Cycles
• July: Physical Activity
• August: Oral Health
• September: Working Together
• October: Community/Belonging
• November: Nutrition
• December: Cultures/Celebration

Learn more about the Wellstar Center for Health Equity.

January 21 at 6:04 PM

Due to the current weather conditions, some Wellstar locations and care facilities have modified hours to ensure the safety of our patients and team members. Please call ahead before venturing out if you have an appointment at a Wellstar Primary Care, Wellstar Pediatrics or Wellstar specialty practice on Wednesday, January 22.

We are committed to meeting your care needs throughout this weather event. For your safety and convenience, WellstarON, our virtual urgent care, is open 24/7. Get started at wellstaronlinecare.org.

We will continue to monitor the weather, and there may be additional delays or early closures as local conditions develop.

January 21 at 12:40 PM

Wellstar Urgent Care in Evans, South Augusta and Grovetown will close at 5 PM January 21 and reopen at 10 AM January 22. Ortho-on-Demand at 1220 West Wheeler Parkway in Augusta will close at 5 PM January 21.

January 20 at 7:07 PM

With frigid temperatures and the possibility for snow and ice beginning January 21, some Wellstar locations and care facilities may have modified hours to ensure the safety of our patients and team members. Please call ahead before venturing out if you have an appointment at a Wellstar Primary Care, Wellstar Pediatrics or Wellstar specialty practice on Tuesday, January 21 or Wednesday, January 22.

Due to the weather, there will only be virtual appointments at all Wellstar practices in LaGrange, West Georgia and Griffin. Watch for messages from your care team and call ahead if you have questions or concerns.

We remain committed to meeting your care needs throughout this weather event. For your safety and convenience, WellstarON, our virtual urgent care, is open 24/7. Get started at wellstaronlinecare.org.

We will continue to monitor the weather. There may be additional delays or early closures as local conditions develop.

Thank you for trusting Wellstar with your care.

In a heartwarming display of camaraderie, Wellstar team members gathered across the system to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy as part of the health system’s annual program to recognize his profound impact on civil rights in the United States. This year, the program featured a compelling conversation with his eldest son, Martin Luther King III. 

A humanitarian and civil rights activist in his own right, King sat down with nationally renowned journalist Monica Kauffman Pearson to discuss his parents' legacy of nonviolent and peaceful activism, and how their influence continues to shape his own life and efforts. The conversation centered on one of his father’s most famous quotes: "The time is always right to do what is right."

King discussed the importance of using constructive dialogue in times of conflict, sharing insights into how his late mother, Coretta Scott King, successfully convinced President Ronald Reagan in 1983 to sign into law a bill that created Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday.

In the conversation, Kauffman Pearson asked King how his father's legacy extends to health equity. 

“I think we're making small steps. We need to accelerate it to gigantic steps,” King said, encouraging people to consider an important question: “What are you going to do to make your community, your nation, our world better?” 

“Like Martin Luther King III, I believe we have a responsibility to make the world a better place,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “In healthcare, we seize that opportunity one patient at a time, serving with compassion and honoring every voice as we work together to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve.”

View excerpts of the conversation here.