Collaborative Solutions Podcast

Collaborative Solutions Podcast

By Collaborative Solutions PodcastSociety & Culture
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Collaborative Solutions Podcast episodes

  • Episode 44: Sunshine on the Front Lines - APRN Becky Lagger-Dyer's role in ending chronic homelessness
    In this powerful episode, Misty Bosch-Hastings and Barry Feaker welcome Becky Lagger-Dyer, a nurse practitioner with Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health and a core member of the Homeless Response Team (HRT). Becky shares how she brings both medical and psychiatric care directly to unsheltered individuals, building trust and bridging critical service gaps.
     
    Her personal journey - from a teen mom on public assistance to a 6 degree having, dual-certified nurse practitioner - is as inspiring as the impact she makes in the field. The team also celebrates a major win: a woman in crisis saying yes to treatment after months of outreach.
     
    Someone once believed Becky had more to offer - and now, she’s the one planting that belief in others every day.
    46 min
  • Episode 43: Destined for Greatness - Dustin Moore’s Path from Prison to Purpose
    In this powerful episode of Collaborative Solutions, we spotlight Dustin Moore—Lead for the City of Lawrence’s Homeless Response Team through Artists Helping the Homeless, a devoted father and husband, and a tireless advocate for people experiencing homelessness.
     
    Dustin’s journey to this role is nothing short of extraordinary. Formerly incarcerated and unhoused, he has transformed his life through courage, accountability, and a deep commitment to service. His story is a testament to growth, resilience, and the power of second chances.
     
    With raw honesty and deep insight, Dustin reflects on the complexity of addiction and homelessness—reminding us that not every story begins with trauma or hardship. Sometimes, these struggles touch the lives of people who had stability and support. Addiction knows no boundaries. It cuts across income, race, and background—and so does the hope of recovery.
     
    Dustin shares how he rebuilt his life, rose into leadership, and now shows up every day to walk alongside others on their own path to stability. His journey challenges stereotypes and reminds us that redemption isn’t just possible—it’s powerful.
    52 min
  • Episode 42: From Rock Bottom to Renewal — The Power of One Compassionate Connection
    When Eric Knackstedt walked into a Lawrence warming shelter last winter, he was homeless, high, and ready to give up. What happened next changed the trajectory of his life. In this episode, Eric shares his powerful story of survival, recovery, and hope—and how a single, heartfelt conversation with peer outreach worker Kristin Demby helped him believe that healing was possible. Together with Misty Bosch-Hastings, Director of Homeless Solutions for the City of Lawrence, Barry Feaker leads a discussion that explores how peer support, persistence, and human connection are transforming lives across Douglas County.
    42 min
  • Episode 41: Signs from Sam- The Story Behind Cardinal Housing with Hannah Bolton
    In this powerful episode of Collaborative Solutions, we sit down with Hannah Bolton, founder of the Cardinal Housing Network—a recovery housing program born from heartbreak and transformed into healing. After losing her brother Sam to addiction, Hannah channeled her grief into purpose, creating a safe, supportive space for women in early recovery right in the heart of Lawrence.
     
    Joined by Misty Bosch-Hastings and James Chisholm, we explore the gaps in our local recovery system, the importance of community-based solutions, and what it takes to turn personal tragedy into collective hope. Hannah’s story is a moving reminder that change doesn’t start with systems—it starts with people.
    59 min
  • Episode 40: Bridging the Badge and the Broken - Sergeant Klamm’s Outreach Revolution

    In this moving episode of Collaborative Solutions, Sergeant Joshua Klamm emerges as a quiet force of transformation—proving that true public safety is rooted in compassion, connection, and dignity. A Topeka police officer who defies every stereotype, Klamm’s work in homeless outreach redefines what it means to serve and protect. With a heart-first approach, he meets unsheltered individuals not with handcuffs, but with humanity—offering options, building trust, and honoring the dignity of each person he encounters. From launching a groundbreaking city ID program to helping lead complex camp transitions with empathy and steadiness, his impact stretches far beyond jurisdictional lines. In Lawrence, he’s helping to train the next generation of outreach responders, bringing his signature balance of accountability and love. As Misty Bosch-Hastings puts it, "He was the first officer I ever saw treated like a friend in camp—and the first who made me believe that healing and law enforcement could coexist."

    50 min
  • Episode 39: Hope Dealer - Ray Rath’s Journey from the Streets to Saving Lives
    In this moving episode of Collaborative Solutions, host Barry Feaker and Director of Homeless Solutions Misty Bosch-Hastings sit down with Ray Rath — a certified peer support specialist with Mirror, Inc., and a man whose journey from heroin addiction and homelessness to national advocacy is nothing short of extraordinary.
     
    Ray opens up about his past: from sleeping in a tent in Florida, battling opioid addiction, and losing everything, to being pulled back from the brink by another unhoused person — his “Cutthroat” friend who believed in him when no one else did. Ray’s story doesn’t end there. He shares how he stumbled into the field of recovery work, found purpose in service, and became a nationally recognized voice for harm reduction — featured by The New York Times and CNN for his leadership in training first responders to save lives using Narcan.
     
    Misty and Barry dive deep into Lawrence’s evolving policy on serving out-of-area individuals experiencing homelessness, the city's groundbreaking multidisciplinary outreach team, and how peer-led, person-first engagement is saving lives — sometimes before someone even knows they’re ready to be helped.
    Ray reminds us all of a truth too easily forgotten: those people are our people. Everyone matters.
     
    Recovering heroin user reacts to Trump administration’s consideration of cuts to overdose prevention program | CNN
    1 hr 5 min
  • Episode 38: Walking Beside, Not Ahead - Peer Power in Lawrence's Homeless Response

    In this powerful episode of Collaborative Solutions, hosts Barry Feaker and Misty Bosch-Hastings spotlight two remarkable members of the Homeless Response Team in Lawrence, Kansas—Kristi Schutter of RADAC and Bryan Daugharthy of Mirror, Inc. Kristi shares her deeply personal journey from addiction to recovery and how it now fuels her passion as a recovery coach walking alongside individuals with compassion and persistence. Bryan brings both lived experience and practical tools to the table as a peer support specialist, tackling real-world barriers like ID recovery and financial literacy from a stump in the woods if necessary. Together, they paint a vivid picture of what it means to show up, build trust, and walk at someone’s pace toward stability. Their stories reflect the heart of the Homeless Response Team: a multidisciplinary effort driven by empathy, collaboration, and the unwavering belief that no one is beyond help.

    57 min
  • Episode 37: Trust is the Work

    On this episode of Collaborative Solutions, Barry Faeker chats with Misty Bosch-Hastings, James Chisholm, and Brett Hartford, the heart behind the Homeless Resource Center. From NYC outreach to Lawrence leadership, Brett shares how trust, consistency, and a whole lot of hustle are helping transform lives—one haircut, one conversation, one day at a time.

    47 min
  • Episode 36: We are LCS - Community Solutions for Ending Homelessness
    In this episode of Collaborative Solutions, we highlight the impactful work at the Lawrence Community Shelter (LCS). Executive Director James Chiselom joins us alongside key team members Mercedes Rowland, Karen Sibilio, and Megan Luttrell, who share their personal passion for serving the community and supporting individuals experiencing homelessness. 
     
    Together, they discuss recent expansions in shelter capacity, innovative program developments, and a strategic 90-day initiative designed to educate and engage the community. The team emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and community participation under the campaign "We Are LCS," inviting listeners to become active participants in addressing and ultimately ending chronic homelessness in Lawrence-Douglas County.
    57 min
  • Episode 35: Stone Soup for Systems Change - Building Regional Solutions to Homelessness with Josiah Haken
    In this powerful episode of Collaborative Solutions, we welcome Josiah Haken to talk about how his organization addresses homelessness — not just locally, but regionally in New York & New Jersey. Josiah shares stories, insights, and real solutions that show what’s possible when communities step out of their silos and lead with humility, trust, and collaboration.
     
    They remind us that solving homelessness isn’t about everyone doing the same thing—it’s about everyone bringing what they do have to the table. Like the story of Stone Soup, it’s about combining strengths, building a net—not just a patchwork—and lifting up every neighbor, whether housed or unhoused.
     
    The message is clear: true change happens when we stop competing and start connecting. When we ask, "How can I make your job easier?" instead of "How do I get ahead?" This episode is a celebration of the idea that we are always better together—and that compassion, strategy, and community can bend even the hardest challenges toward justice.
    52 min

About Collaborative Solutions Podcast

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We spent two years telling the story of building a homeless response system.