The Shift: Voices of Prevention — A podcast by Prevent Child Abuse America

In this powerful episode of The Shift: Voices of Prevention, host Nathan Fink converses with Leah Schluter and Adrian Amezcua from the Center for Childhood Safety and Wellbeing at the University of Oregon. Together, they share how youth leadership and data partnerships are transforming child- and family-serving systems.

• Leah Schluter brings years of practice and research experience in violence prevention—drawing on her long-standing commitment to centering equity and support rather than surveillance into prevention frameworks csaw.uoregon.edu.
• Adrian Amezcua joins her to explore collaborative projects that elevate youth voices, promote systems change, and turn data into tools for healing and transformation.

Together, Leah and Adrian focus on:

• Preventing child abuse, neglect, and identity-based violence by uplifting youth partnership and shared decision-making;
• Designing data-driven, community-informed pathways to care that prevent harms before they occur;
• Aligning closely with Prevent Child Abuse America’s mission of shifting narratives—from blaming families to building systems grounded in justice, prevention, and belonging.

Why listen?
You’ll walk away with fresh insights on how to embed youth leadership into prevention strategies, use data to foster trust and healing, and rethink what safety means in real-world, community-centered terms.

Tune in to discover how youth-led, data-informed partnerships are paving a new path for prevention.

Subscribe for more episodes

In this powerful episode of The Shift: Voices of Prevention, Prevent Child Abuse America’s leadership team—Dr. Melissa Merrick (President & CEO), Dr. Bart Klika (Chief Research Officer), and Jennifer Jones (Chief Strategy Officer)—come together to reflect on a pivotal moment for the prevention movement.

With candor and urgency, they explore what it means to lead at the intersection of equity, innovation, and community wisdom. From reimagining systems to centering lived experience, this conversation offers a compelling look at the future we’re building—one rooted in connection, courage, and collective action.

This is more than strategy—it’s a call to rise to the moment, together.

Subscribe for more episodes

In this episode of The Shift: Voices of Prevention, we sit down with Jessica Moyer, Senior Principal Strategist at the FrameWorks Institute, to explore what it truly means to reframe how we support children and families.

Jessica takes us beyond the surface of policy and practice into the deeper cultural narratives that shape our systems—examining how reactive, individualistic approaches can be transformed into proactive, community-rooted solutions. She shares powerful insights on the role of language, equity, and storytelling in shaping a prevention-first future.

From embedding family voice in policy to building grassroots partnerships that shift mindsets, this episode is a call to lead with trust, curiosity, and collective care. Whether you’re a practitioner, policymaker, or advocate, you’ll walk away with renewed clarity and purpose.

Subscribe for more episodes

Join us for the third and final installment of our conversation series, hosted by our Chief Strategy Officer, Jennifer Jones. We’re wrapping up with a crucial discussion on Technology and Child Welfare, featuring Takkeem Morgan, Executive Director of Mosaic Parent Hub.

Subscribe for more episodes

PCA America is thrilled to bring you the second episode in its first ever conversation series hosted by our very own President & CEO, Dr. Melissa Merrick. 
Dr. Merrick explores the importance of working together, in partnership, to support families further upstream so all kids can have a brighter future with special guest, the esteemed President & CEO for The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Lisa Hamilton. Listen to the full conversation and learn more about ways to better invest in adolescence, intergenerational strategies for primary prevention and intervention, and how to create the conditions needed for families to thrive. 

Subscribe for more episodes

PCA America is thrilled to bring you its first ever conversation series hosted by our very own President & CEO, Dr. Melissa Merrick. 
Dr. Merrick explores the impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on children’s lives with a special guest, the esteemed Director of the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Dr. Allison Arwady. This groundbreaking conversation marks a significant milestone in our mission to prevent child abuse and neglect. 

Subscribe for more episodes

Subscribe for more episodes

Subscribe for more episodes

Subscribe for more episodes

Subscribe for more episodes