CHFS Community Podcast

Julie Watts McKee, DMD, knew she wanted to be a dentist by the eighth grade. After graduating from dental school and practicing for 10 years in Mt. Sterling, she went on to work for the Governor’s Office, Inspector General’s Office and local health department as a director. Currently, the director of the Kentucky Oral Health Program (KOHP) in the Department for Public Health (DPH), her unique background helps Dr. McKee appreciate the perspectives of dental practitioners, state regulators and public health advocates.

Today’s conversation is about the mission of the KOHP and its role in providing programs and services to help Kentuckians achieve optimal oral health through education, fluoride supplements, fluoride varnishes, sealants, hygiene and other services. We also discuss the impact of COVID-19 on health and well-being across the state and the enormous responsibility of developing and administering safety guidelines, protocols and recommendations for dental care during a worldwide pandemic.

Is is significant but not surprising that in addition to serving Kentuckians for a living, many Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) employees volunteer in their spare time. Today’s conversation is with Daniel J. Owens, human resources administrator with the Office of Human Resources and Management (OHRM), and community volunteer. The Frankfort native and former CHFS Employee of the Month has mentored or coached at least 275 youth, and received the YMCA Central Kentucky Volunteer of the Year Award. We discuss the importance of volunteer work, and how mentoring blesses the giver as much as the receiver.

There was a time when health equity was a new term and social determinants of health was a new concept for Kentucky. Our Cabinet, the Department for Public Health (DPH) and community partners have discovered that those terms are midstream indicators that impact health and health outcomes. There are also important systemic, institutional, and historical factors that continue to impact the health and wellbeing of Kentuckians. And we can't talk about one without the other. Today’s guest, Vivian Lasley-Bibbs, MPH, is part of that effort as director of the Office of Health Equity (OHE) in DPH, providing technical assistance in the areas of evaluation, survey development, study design and data analysis. As advocates for change we are proud of the conversations we are having, and more importantly, seeing tangible, actionable results come out of those conversations.

Today’s conversation is about leadership. Not the type of leadership that you study in college or self-help literature. I’m talking about values-centered leadership based on equity, empowerment and program excellence. Along with these shared values, my guest Marta Miranda-Straub brings lived experience to her role as commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS). A refugee from Cuba who arrived in the U.S. at age 12, Dr. Miranda-Straub has spent 48 years in organizational and clinical social work practice. We discuss our goals for a diverse and inclusive organization within the largest Cabinet in state government, whose mission is to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of all Kentuckians.

Today’s conversation is to honor those who died while serving in the United States military and mourn with friends and loved ones left behind. Heath Dolen is the Service Members, Veterans and their Families (SMVF) Behavioral Health Project Manager for the Kentucky Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) within the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID). Since 2008, he has focused on enhancing the care and coordination of resources for the SMVF population in Kentucky. We discuss what a privilege it is to ensure our veterans and their families receive all the benefits they have earned. We also express gratitude for exemplary veterans and service members throughout the state, including those who work in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS).

Some of the most important work we do at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) happens behind the scenes. The Kentucky Health Information Exchange (KHIE) is a perfect example. KHIE allows participants with certified electronic health records technology to access, locate, and confidentially share necessary health information with other health care providers at the point of care. Andrew Bledsoe is a deputy executive director at the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and in charge of KHIE. Today we discuss how KHIE supports the health care community in Kentucky to provide an improved quality of patient care as one of the nation’s largest health information exchanges.  

Prevention, detection and investigation of fraud, abuse, waste and mismanagement is a responsibility that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) takes very seriously. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is in charge of investigating these and other matters related to the Cabinet and its programs. Today’s guest, Flo Brown, is a certified welfare fraud investigator (CWFI) for the OIG who has been with the state for almost 11 years. She shares some interesting stories and statistics that exemplify our commitment to ensuring the integrity of Cabinet programs and services.

Today’s guest on CHFS Community is Jiji Masri, executive advisor with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Born in Lebanon, to a family who valued public service, Masri moved to Louisville to attend graduate school. After receiving an MBA, she spent time in banking and at a tech start-up before discovering her true calling. We talk about that journey, and how Masri came to love the natural beauty of Kentucky and the people who live here.

There are many unsung heroes at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), and I am continually amazed at the tireless work you do to help everyday Kentuckians. Today’s guest, Julie A. Son, is a field services supervisor at the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) Family Support Services. A lifelong resident of Princeton, she knows what it’s like to be on ‘both sides of the desk’ at the family support office. As a young single mother needing occasional support services, Julie returned to college to eventually become a supervisor over the Lyon and Caldwell County Family Support Offices. So, it wasn’t surprising when Julie and her son Michael risked their own safety, minutes after the devastating tornado hit Western Kentucky, to help dozens of people who were injured and traumatized. Julie’s story of courage, compassion and resilience will make you proud to be a public servant in the great state of Kentucky.

Today’s episode of CHFS Community is a discussion with Adam Berrones about Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) and the importance of data. An epidemiologist with a doctorate from the University of Kentucky, Berrones loves to tackle critical problems through research, discovering new questions he can answer statistically. He is passionate about using data findings in a practical way to inform and support policymakers. KASPER is administered by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) under the Office of Inspector General (OIG), but also partners with law enforcement and other regulatory agencies to prevent the misuse, abuse and diversion of controlled substances in Kentucky. If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance use disorder call 833-859-4357, or visit the findhelpnow website to find an addiction treatment facility that is taking new clients right now.