Speak Our Minds

Too often, stigma keeps families from seeking mental health support for their children until a crisis forces action. At the same time, insurers and policymakers have sometimes viewed mental health as a “black hole” for resources — questioning whether meaningful progress is even possible. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Bob Batterson of Children’s Mercy Kansas City to explore how that narrati...

In this week's episode we talk with Brooke Briscoe at Children's Wisconsin about how the pandemic dramatically intensified youth mental health needs while simultaneously disrupting access to care, leading to longer waitlists and more young people reaching crisis before receiving support. In this six-minute conversation, we explore how identifying and addressing concerns early, we can imp...

In this 6-minute episode, national psychiatric leader Dr Justine Larson with National Children's Hospital in Washington D.C., makes the case for a simple but powerful shift in youth mental health care: bring care to kids, instead of pulling kids out of their lives to get care. From schools and primary care settings to community spaces families already trust, this conversation explores why mee...

Families navigating the youth mental health system often describe it as overwhelming, fragmented, and impossible to decipher — especially in moments of crisis. In this short, high-impact conversation, Dr. Micaela Thordarson explains why care guides and strong care coordination may be the closest thing we have to a “magic wand” in youth mental health care.

In this brief but powerful conversation, we sit down with Dr. Martine Lamy from Cincinnati Children's, the nation’s largest hospital based pediatric mental health provider to explore a quiet but profound shift in youth mental health: families are finally talking — openly, honestly, and without shame. From dinner table conversations to everyday check-ins, discussing mental health with young pe...

Just a few years ago, the youth mental health system was overwhelmed — emergency rooms overflowing, waitlists stretching for months, and families left to navigate a broken system alone. In this concise conversation with Dr. Jamie Becker, we take stock of what’s changed since the height of COVID. This episode isn’t about declaring victory — it’s about naming progress, exposing what still isn’t work...

In this short form high impact conversation with Lyndsay Gaffey, we explore why preventing youth suicide can’t happen inside clinic walls alone. Community-based models of care are transforming how trust is built, and care is delivered effectively. Learn how local partnerships remain a critical piece to the care model for young people when and where they need it most.

In today’s episode, we’re joined by a provider who’s been on the front lines of youth suicide prevention—and who’s learned, through experience, that the real turning point came from building tight, intentional partnerships with their local community. From schools and families to youth-serving organizations and trusted local leaders, this conversation explores how shared responsibility, local trust...

Preventing youth suicide is a big job and as Dr. Nasuh Malas helps us understand, you can't do it without a really effective process. Tune in to this week's episode of our series Voices of Change: Preventing Youth Suicide and learn what hospitals and provider partners need to consider when building effective approaches to preventing youth suicide in their own settings. 

In this powerful episode of Voices of Change: Preventing Youth Suicide , we sit down with mental health advocate, provider, and mom Laura Love as she shares her deeply personal story of loss. Laura opens up about the heartbreak of losing her child and the urgent need for suicide prevention strategies that truly support children and families. Her experience underscores why prevention efforts must b...

Speak Our Minds brings together critical voices working to address the youth suicide crisis. Listen as we explore why these efforts are so critical and how they are taking shape in the country's largest Children's Hospitals. 

In this powerful episode, Matthew Cook, President & CEO of the Children’s Hospital Association, joins hosts Heidi Baskfield and Jason Hopcus for a candid and urgent conversation about the youth mental health crisis and the critical role Medicaid plays in addressing it. Together, they unpack how children’s hospitals across the nation are innovating in real time—launching new models of care, emb...

How do we create systems that actually learn from the people they serve? In this eye-opening episode, we explore how Learning Health Networks (LHNs) are transforming the landscape of youth mental healthcare through connection, data, and collaboration. Jason and Heidi sit down with two national leaders in the field— Dr. Dan Hyman and Dr. Peter Margolis —to unpack the promise of LHNs in improving Me...

In this eye-opening episode of the Nobody’s Perfect podcast, host Jason Hopcus and co-host Heidi Baskfield of Speak Our Minds are joined by pediatric mental health expert Dr. Sandy Fritsch to explore the deep systemic failures preventing children from receiving the mental health care they’re entitled to through EPSDT (Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment) . Despite federal manda...

In this episode hosts, Jason Hopcus and Heidi Baskfield  join policy powerhouse Jocelyn Guyer to break down one of the most powerful—but least understood—tools in youth mental health: the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. We unpack: What “Early,” “Periodic,” “Screening,” “Diagnostic,” and “Treatment” really mean—and why each word matters How EPSDT ensures med...

In Episode 2 of our special 6-part series on youth mental health, we sit down with Aimee Ossman, Vice President of Policy at the Children’s Hospital Association, to explore how Medicaid—often misunderstood and undervalued—is actually one of the most powerful tools we have to support young people’s well-being. This episode unpacks what Medicaid really is (hint: not just "insurance for poor kid...

The Biggest Story You’ve Never Heard — Medicaid, EPSDT & the Mental Health of Our Youth In this kickoff episode, hosts Jason Hopcus and Heidi Baskfield pull back the curtain on one of the most powerful — and overlooked — tools for supporting youth mental health: Medicaid’s EPSDT benefit. Why is it so critical? Why don’t more people know about it? And how can it be the key to transforming care...

Addressing Colorado’s challenges in the children’s system of care and mental health requires innovative thinking and strategic partnerships at the government level. Joining Heidi Baskfield on the Speak Our Minds podcast today is Dr. K. Ron-Li Liaw, Colorado’s first Mental Health-In-Chief for Children’s Hospital Colorado and is also the Division Director of Child and Adolescent Youth Mental Health...

The New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the state’s first Cabinet-level agency focused exclusively on serving and supporting at-risk children and families. Today, Heidi welcomes Christine Beyer, Commissioner of the NJ DCF, to the podcast. Together with its partners, the NJ DCF works to increase kinship placements, strengthen family connections, prevent maltreatment, and promote...

How can a state transform its approach to youth mental health in the face of bureaucratic challenges? In this episode of Speak Our Minds, we spotlight the passionate advocacy of Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, a fourth-generation Coloradan who has lived in Weld County for over 35 years. From her roots as a county commissioner to her current role in the state senate, Senator Kirkmeyer’s journey is fuele...

We continue our fight for youth mental health and are excited to welcome two special guests to the podcast today: Te’Andis Elliot; a community engagement specialist in youth outreach, and Quatisha Bailey (known as Q); the Executive Director of the independent health and wellness consulting firm, Qs with Q. Join the conversation as we discuss their work in supporting youth mental health, explore co...

This week, we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to address a critical issue: Proposition KK and the rising incidence of domestic violence in the state of Colorado, with many cases tragically ending in fatalities. Joining us are Majority Leader Monica Duran and Elizabeth Newman from the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA). Representative Duran shares her personal journey t...

All too often, discussions about system reform and the youth mental health crisis tend to overlook the specific needs and experiences of Native and Indigenous communities. Today’s episode of Speak Our Minds features Dr. Terri Bissonette, Gnoozhekaaning Anishinaabe, a seasoned educator, independent consultant, and the former Founder and School Leader of the American Indian Academy of Denver (AIAD)....

What’s the most significant barrier facing youth and families when it comes to mental health care? Today, Dr. Benjamin Miller, a leading expert in mental health and adjunct faculty at Stanford School of Medicine, joins us to unpack the pressing challenges and opportunities in reforming the youth mental health system. Drawing on his extensive experience, Dr. Miller sheds light on key issues, such a...

There is still a long way to go to solve the children and youth mental health crisis in Colorado. But there are many hardworking people creating solutions across our state. One such person is the Director of Human Services for Weld County, Jamie Ulrich, and she joins us today to share her journey to direct service, day-to-day problem-solving work, and insights on what is most needed in our state....