Last year, nearly 45 million Americans were diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder. That’s according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. When it comes to treating addiction, what's working? And what isn't? We talk to the team at ROCovery about local peer support, and we hear from a former Biden administration official about the recovery landscape in New York. In studio:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Many people feel like they can never complete their to-do lists, and yet they spend hours each week scrolling social media. We are struggling with how to balance all the work we need to do without burning out. In general, we are not pacing ourselves well. A new book takes a look at the scientific evidence behind the way we structure our days, while offering ideas for how to find better balance. We talk to critically acclaimed science writer Elizabeth Svoboda about "The Art of Pacing." Our guest:

• Elizabeth Svoboda, award-winning science writer and author of "The Art of Pacing: A Guide to Balancing Short-Term Demands with Long-Term Thriving"

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

New York State recently announced a multimillion-dollar investment in the expansion of clubhouses, which are community hubs for mental health support. As reported by WXXI's Noelle Evans, clubhouses serve people with mental illnesses like major depression, schizophrenia, PTSD, bipolar and mood disorders. Some of its concepts challenge typical ideas about mental illness. We discuss how it works toward the goal of saving and improving lives. Our guests:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

We continue our series of conversations with local state representatives about New York's 2026-2027 budget. This hour, we're joined by Assemblymember Demond Meeks. He shares his takeaways on legislation related to public safety -- including bills concerning 3D-printed ghost guns and domestic violence reduction -- housings, childcare, education, and more. He also answers your questions about state business. In studio:

• Assemblymember Demond Meeks, District 137 

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Special education teachers provide instruction tailored to the needs of students with disabilities to help them realize their full potential, keeping many of these children from falling through the cracks in our education system. But what happens when there are not enough teachers to go around? There is a nationwide shortage of special education staff, and some local school districts are feeling it. Guest host Julie Philipp examines how schools are addressing the problem, and how St. John Fisher University is working to help fill the gap. In studio:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

At some point or another, we all grieve over the loss of a loved one. Guest host Julie Philipp talks with two authors about how books can help us work through and live with grief, and how they can help us navigate conversations about grief with our children. This is in advance of A Conversation About Grief, scheduled for September 3 at Hipocampo Children’s Books on South Avenue. In studio:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Until the COVID -19 pandemic, public health was nearly invisible. Most of us did not think about the people who keep an eye on restaurants, public water supplies, air quality, vaccination rates, outbreaks of diseases like measles, and many other measures that contribute to a healthy community. That has changed. Public health is often in the headlines. It has become more political and less trusted. Guest host Julie Philipp discusses the current state of public health and how it affects you. In studio:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

If you have been downtown lately, you’ve seen all the changes underway along Rochester’s riverfront. New and improved parks, public gathering spots, trails, and infrastructure. It’s all part of a multi-year, half-billion dollar investment to expand the use of the Genesee River, which has long been treated as our city’s backyard instead of its front. There’s a lot of excitement around this…but what about the main attraction itself? How healthy is the Genesee River? How is it being affected by climate change? Are pollution problems of the past still an issue? And why does it matter? Guest host Julie Philipp talks with our panelists from Genesee River Watch. Our guests:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Brewers from around the state are gathering at the Rochester Public Market on Friday night for the Flour City Brewers Fest, an annual celebration of craft beers. But the festivities are taking place against a backdrop of increasingly tough times for the industry. Hundreds of craft breweries across the country closed over the past year, and many others are struggling. How are surviving brewers adjusting to the new reality of rising costs and shrinking demand? Guest host Julie Philipp talks about that with our panelists and finds out what they think the future holds. In studio:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Which expense is most difficult for your family to afford? That question was raised during a recent public hearing hosted by New York State's Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council. The goal was to hear from the public about the financial challenges they face, while also examining the council's anti-poverty efforts. What's working? What challenges still need to be addressed? And what kinds of support do families say they need? We discuss those questions with our guests, and we talk about how expected cuts at the federal level could affect local families. In studio: