Let's Talk Kids

Dr. Maurice Elias, Rutgers Psychology Professor and Director of the Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab, explains how teachers and administrators can positively enhance their school environment and educational methods in order to engage students, improve their mental health, and set them up for success rather than contributors to the rising rate of absenteeism. Learn more about Dr. Elia...

Nicole McGrath-Barnes DDS FACD, Founder and CEO of KinderSmile Foundation, discusses why dental care for babies and young children is more critical than most parents realize—and why the system is failing them. She shares the story behind building KinderSmile, how the foundation operates, and why its model deserves to be adopted more widely. The conversation digs into the overlooked connection betw...

Elizabeth McCarthy, President and CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, explains the purposes and services provided by modern Food Banks in America, as well as the current state of SNAP Benefits, child nutrition programs, and Food Insecurity / Hunger in New Jersey and across the country. Learn more about the Community FoodBank of NJ below! https://cfbnj.org/ - Community FoodBank of NJ https...

Lisa Pitz, Director of Hunger Free New Jersey, shares unique insights and growing concerns regarding Food Insecurity in the state and country as a whole. This episode covers everything from the inner workings of Food Pantries, to the future of SNAP Benefits. Learn more about Hunger Free New Jersey below! hungerfreenj.org - Hunger Free NJ www.nj.gov/humanservices/njsnap/recipients/stay/ - Learn Mor...

Diane Travers, Senior Director of NJ4S Essex, speaks about how her organization has worked with schools to directly meet the ever-changing mental health needs of the next generation of students as well as their parents and teachers. NJ4S clinicians host events and workshops covering a variety of topics such as anti-bullying, substance abuse prevention, financial literacy, healthy communication, ab...

Andrea Martinez-Mejia, Executive Director of the Greater Newark Healthcare Coalition, discusses the importance of many aspects of mental and physical well-being that are overlooked in New Jersey and the United States, as well as how Healthcare systems can be improved to better address these issues for families at risk. Learn more about the Greater Newark Healthcare Coalition below! https://greater...

David Sims, Director of Stakeholder Engagement at Safe Babies Court Team, discusses Child Protective Services and how the system has been improved and can be further improved in its treatment of fathers; what initiatives exist for supporting fathers and how case workers can better communicate with fathers. Learn more about FELLAS below! https://pmch.org/fellas/ - FELLAS Fatherhood Program https://...

John Mulholland, an attorney and the Executive Director of the New Jersey Association of Special Education Partner Schools (NJASEPS), sheds light on the incredible advances made for improving the livelihood of kids with learning disabilities, as well as on the many challenges the organization faces. Learn more about NJASEPS below! https://njaseps.org/ - New Jersey Association of Special Education...

Charlie Venti,  President of Inventive Strategies LLC and Board Member of the Let’s Talk Kids parent non-profit ACNJ, explores his experiences with how the U.S. and state governments have worked with American communities in the past to support families and kids, as well as how this alliance could be revitalized. Learn more about the Family Success Institute and how you can get involved below! http...

Davetta Ford, State Coordinator of Safe Babies Court Team, discusses how her team’s approach aims to support parents and children involved in the child welfare system, as well as the impacts of family detachment on infants’ brain development, and how their parent organization Child Focus aims to grow their resources and reach in the future. Learn more about the Safe Babies Court Team or make a don...

Dashaan Jennings, a member of leadership at Powerful Families Powerful Communities (PFPC) and founder of Str8Up Employment Services, discusses how we can improve the process of Mandated Reporting and educate members of communities to support each other in ways that deescalate conflicts, create understanding and avoid State Intervention so all children have the chance to grow up and lead exceptiona...