diff --git a/app/helpers/notifications_helper.rb b/app/helpers/notifications_helper.rb
index 3f77f622e8..24db107f64 100644
--- a/app/helpers/notifications_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/notifications_helper.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 module NotificationsHelper
+  def read_when_seen_notifications
+    ["YouthBirthdayNotification", "VolunteerBirthdayNotification", "EmancipationChecklistReminderNotification"]
+  end
+
   def notifications_after_and_including_deploy(notifications)
     latest_deploy_time = Health.instance.latest_deploy_time
 
diff --git a/app/views/notifications/index.html.erb b/app/views/notifications/index.html.erb
index 50e61ec9bd..7492303820 100644
--- a/app/views/notifications/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/notifications/index.html.erb
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 </div>
 
 <% @notifications.each do |notification| %>
-  <% if ["YouthBirthdayNotification", "VolunteerBirthdayNotification", "EmancipationChecklistReminderNotification"].include? notification.type %>
+  <% if read_when_seen_notifications.include? notification.type %>
     <% notification.mark_as_read! %>
   <% end %>
 <% end %>