Roots and Wings

The Department of Children Services has partnered with the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to start a program that aims to put money in the pockets of families and guardians who are caring for children in foster care that also have intellectual disabilities. The Tennessee Strong Families Healthcare Reimbursement Account  provides up to $20,000 annually for those families....

Conversations around autism spectrum disorder or ASD are happening more often as the number of children and youth diagnosed with ASD continues to significantly increase. Ascend Autism's Clinical Director Sharon Dudhnath-Grotsky and Co Founder Nathan Kronforst sit down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss the  resources available for Tennessee families. 

The number one killer of children older than 1 in Tennessee are firearms. It's a very hard statistic to fathom, especially since many of those deaths are preventable. For children and youth younger than 17-years-old, Tennessee’s rate of gun deaths is 36 percent higher than the national average. Dr. Kelsey Gastineau is a pediatrician at Monroe Carrel Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and a...

Child care costs across the nation and in Tennessee are rising. While there are several challenges facing the child care market in general, there are also state partners and organizations working to make child care more accessible and affordable for Tennessee families. Director of Child Care Services with the Department of Human Services Gwen Laaser sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to...

This podcast episode highlights some of the work Tennessee state representatives have accomplished that benefits children and families and how the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth has served in a supporting role. Senator Page Walley sits down with podcast host Jonquil Newland to discuss the state's work and where can strive to improve. 

To educate the public on the importance of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth and why the agency exists, this episode looks back in history to 35 years ago. At the time, Bill Purcell was a new member of the Tennessee House of Representatives and went on to become the House Majority Leader and Chair of the Select Committee on Children and Youth. Purcell sits down with podcast host, Jonq...

This year's legislative session was a very active one with policy makers making local, state, and national headlines on more than one occasion. One of those instances directly impacted the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth when a bill was introduced which aimed to dismantle the entire agency. While the bill was tabled, TCCY realized there was an opportunity to educate the public and...

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention links adverse childhood experiences, like child abuse, as one of the main reasons for long-term health impacts in America. In Tennessee, the most recent data shows there were nearly 70,000 reported cases of child abuse and neglect in 2020. Nurture the Next President and CEO Kristen Davis, sits down with podc...

Students are beginning to head back into the classroom, but the summer season isn't over. For some families, the summer months bring extra challenges. Department of Human Services Assistant Commissioner Marcia McShane sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss programs like food services, transitioning services and child care services that are available during the summer months...

Sometimes, parents are not always able to care for their children, maybe the child has been neglected or abused. In those instances, the child may be placed with a safe and loving relative to help prevent them from getting placed into or re-enter the state’s foster care system. The program provides crucial support for families who decide to step into a child's life after a traumatic experienc...

Collective trauma are long-term psychological effects that are shared by a vast group of people. The mental health impact of a global pandemic, natural disasters, and tragic events are far reaching. Ingrid Cockhren is the director of PACEs Connection , she sits down with podcast host Jonquil Newland to discuss the impacts of collective trauma and how to cope. 

Families are still feeling the financial burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are some tax credits that can help, for example the 2021 Child Tax Credit. Terry Reed, the Financial Literacy Manager for Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee in east Tennessee sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland to help explain what this is, who qualifies and how it works . Additional Resou...

Beginning on April, 5 anyone who is 16 and older and wants a COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible to get it. Tennessee is several months into the vaccine distribution process, but a lot of people still have questions about the vaccine, its side effects and possible health implications down the road. Tennessee Department of Health Assistant Commissioner and Director of the Division of Family Health an...

Amanda Johnson is the school nurse coordinator for the Tennessee Department of Education . On this episode of Roots and Wings she sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss how school nurses have been impacted in the last year and what role they play in a student's healthcare needs in a post-pandemic world. Additional Resources: Coordinated School Health Website 

On this episode, Director of Child Well-Being Jenn Drake-Croft sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland to discuss infant mental health and how it's been impacted by the global pandemic. Additional Resources: Building Strong Brains Tennessee YouTube Videos  

Every child and student in Tennessee has been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Students with disabilities and special education instructors have been faced with even more challenges than what they're used to experiencing.  Theresa Nicholls is the Assistant Commissioner of Special Populations with the Tennessee Department of Education. She sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to dis...

More than 8,000 Tennesseans have died from complications of COVID-19 and there are currently more than 650,000 active cases statewide. Health experts across the globe all agree, the only way to slow the pandemic and hopefully one day end it, is to get vaccinated. The Tennessee Health Department's Medical Director of the Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program Dr. Michelle Fiscus...

This fall Governor Bill Lee helped to expand the School-Based Behavioral Health Liaison Program which directly serves Tennessee students who have or at risk for Serious Emotional Disturbance or SED. TDMHSAS's Director of School Based Initiatives Kayla Mumphrey sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss the program expansion and how it serves teachers and students across Tennesse...

It's normal to experience Seasonal Affective Disorder during the winter season. However, this season, much like most of 2020, will be far from normal. The pandemic may have an increased impact on those who suffer with depression and isolation. Centerstone Regional Vice President Beth Hail sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss S.A.D. in the year of COVID and how you can help...

This is the third episode in a miniseries throughout the month of September that focuses on the stories of Tennessee families, specifically how their lives have changed throughout the past several months. On this episode, local mom Sipel Ibrahim sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss the challenges her family has faced and worked through since the pandemic began. Check out some o...

On this episode we continue our mini series throughout the month of September that focuses on the stories of Tennessee families, specifically how their lives have changed throughout the past several months due to COVID-19. Katie Cundy is a local mom and developmental therapist who works with young children across the state. We hope listeners can take away some valuable tips from this discussion!  

A Parent's Story is a mini series that will publish throughout the month of September and aims to highlight stories of parents and their families as we navigate a very interesting year. On this episode of Roots and Wings, podcast host Jonquil Newland chats with mom of four and local certified family support specialist, Amy Blackwell. Listen in as they discuss the challenges of navigating a gl...

We’re going on five months of living in a global pandemic. Many Tennessee families have seen a change in income or experienced several hard ships for the first time because of the COVID 19 pandemic. All of these changes can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety for parents and guardians. On this episode of Roots and Wings we’re going to highlight several ways parents can take care of their mental he...

Did you know 3 out of 4 Nashville third graders are not reading on grade level? This early literacy deficit has challenged the city for more than two decades. One program working to change this is the Blueprint for Early Childhood Success program, which utilizes resources from several area organization and non-profits. On this episode of Roots and Wings Christiane Buggs and Rene Dillard, both with...

Dr. Kecia Carroll is the Associate Professor of Pediatrics and the Director of Faculty Inclusion and Diversity for the Pediatric Office of Faculty Development. On this episode of Roots and Wings she sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss the current racial climate in America and how families and adults can have healthy discussions about race and racial injustice with their famili...