Roots and Wings

The Department of Children Services has partnered with the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to start a program that aims to put money in the pockets of families and guardians who are caring for children in foster care that also have intellectual disabilities. The Tennessee Strong Families Healthcare Reimbursement Account provides up to $20,000 annually for those families. Podcast host, Jonquil Newland, sits down with Babs Tierno, the deputy director of Tennessee...

Conversations around autism spectrum disorder or ASD are happening more often as the number of children and youth diagnosed with ASD continues to significantly increase. Ascend Autism's Clinical Director Sharon Dudhnath-Grotsky and Co Founder Nathan Kronforst sit down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss the resources available for Tennessee families.

The number one killer of children older than 1 in Tennessee are firearms. It's a very hard statistic to fathom, especially since many of those deaths are preventable. For children and youth younger than 17-years-old, Tennessee’s rate of gun deaths is 36 percent higher than the national average. Dr. Kelsey Gastineau is a pediatrician at Monroe Carrel Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and a national expert on firearm violence. She sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss thi...

Child care costs across the nation and in Tennessee are rising. While there are several challenges facing the child care market in general, there are also state partners and organizations working to make child care more accessible and affordable for Tennessee families. Director of Child Care Services with the Department of Human Services Gwen Laaser sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss the challenges that face the child care industry and the resources available.

This podcast episode highlights some of the work Tennessee state representatives have accomplished that benefits children and families and how the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth has served in a supporting role. Senator Page Walley sits down with podcast host Jonquil Newland to discuss the state's work and where can strive to improve.

To educate the public on the importance of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth and why the agency exists, this episode looks back in history to 35 years ago. At the time, Bill Purcell was a new member of the Tennessee House of Representatives and went on to become the House Majority Leader and Chair of the Select Committee on Children and Youth. Purcell sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to look back on the tone of the legislator at the time and how elected officials wor...

This year's legislative session was a very active one with policy makers making local, state, and national headlines on more than one occasion. One of those instances directly impacted the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth when a bill was introduced which aimed to dismantle the entire agency. While the bill was tabled, TCCY realized there was an opportunity to educate the public and policy makers about what we do at the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth and say thank you to ...

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention links adverse childhood experiences, like child abuse, as one of the main reasons for long-term health impacts in America. In Tennessee, the most recent data shows there were nearly 70,000 reported cases of child abuse and neglect in 2020. Nurture the Next President and CEO Kristen Davis, sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss how we all play a role in preventing child abuse and what r...

Students are beginning to head back into the classroom, but the summer season isn't over. For some families, the summer months bring extra challenges. Department of Human Services Assistant Commissioner Marcia McShane sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss programs like food services, transitioning services and child care services that are available during the summer months and throughout the year to help Tennessee families. Additional Resources DHS website USDA Summer Food ...

Sometimes, parents are not always able to care for their children, maybe the child has been neglected or abused. In those instances, the child may be placed with a safe and loving relative to help prevent them from getting placed into or re-enter the state’s foster care system. The program provides crucial support for families who decide to step into a child's life after a traumatic experience. Program Coordinator Aisha Abu-Asaba sits down with podcast host, Jonquil Newland, to discuss the pr...