Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children's Health Podcast

Fathers have a profound impact on their children's physical, mental and emotional well-being, yet they're often left out of pediatric research. John James "JJ" Parker, MD, Researcher, Attending Physician, Advanced General Pediatrics and Primary Care, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, explores what the science tells us about involved fathers, where critical research gaps remain, and how supporting dads can improve outcomes for children and families alike.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

John James "JJ" Parker, MD, Researcher, Attending Physician, Advanced General Pediatrics and Primary Care, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

What if your child’s digital habits are informed with your own? Meredith Gansner, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Services, University of Rochester, explores the growing body of research examining how caregivers' digital behaviors — from excessive screen time and "sharenting" to online health misinformation — can shape children's mental health, development and long-term well-being.

The conversation examines how children model the digital behaviors they observe, why oversharing online can have lasting consequences, how social media algorithms influence parents' health decisions, and practical strategies families can use to build healthier relationships with technology.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

Meredith Gansner, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Services, University of Rochester

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Military-connected children and teens face unique behavioral health challenges, from frequent moves and disruptions in care to parental deployments, long wait times and navigating health care systems that don't always move with them.

In part two of this series, tied to the release of two policy papers from Nemours Children's Health and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, the conversation shifts to the clinicians and program leaders working to improve access to behavioral health care for military-connected youth. They explore the barriers families face when seeking mental health care for their children, the potential of telehealth and interstate licensure compacts to expand access, and why military-informed care, cross-sector collaboration and a whole-family approach are essential to improving outcomes.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

Monica Barreto, PhD, Clinical Director, Primary Care Integrated Behavioral Health, Nemours Children's Health

Jeanine Hoff, MSW, MAS, LCSW, Mental Health Provider, Pediatric Acute Telemental Health (PATH) Program, Nemours Children’s Health

Jennifer Crockett, PhD, Director of Telehealth, Director of Behavioral Health Services for Military Families, The Kennedy-Krieger Institute

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Resources Mentioned in This Series: 

• Serving Military-Connected Children: Access to Care (PDF)
• Serving Military-Connected Children: Mental Health and Well-Being (PDF)
• Free, online course: Caring for Children and Teens in Military Caregiving Families
• Initiatives at Nemours Children’s to support military-connected youth 
• Military Child and Family Collaboratory
• One Op
• Star Behavioral Health Providers
• Kennedy Krieger Behavioral Health Program for Military Families

Military-focused programs:

• FOCUS UCLA 
• Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness Penn State
• Military REACH Auburn University
• Hidden Helpers Coalition   
  • To inquire about joining the Hidden Helpers Coalition, email [email protected] 

Past Well Beyond Medicine episodes with related topics:

• Ep. 70: Hidden Helpers, Hidden No More (Part 1 of 2)  
• Ep. 71: Hidden Helpers Heard (Part 2 of 2)
• Ep. 90: Forum – Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers (Part 1 of 2)
• Ep. 91: Forum - Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers (Part 2 of 2)
• Ep. 167: Accessing Pediatric Mental Health Services (PATH) (Part 1 of 2)
• Ep. 168: Accessing Pediatric Mental Health Services (PATH) (Part 2 of 2)

General questions related to the content addressed during the podcast: [email protected] 

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Military-connected families are often praised for their resilience. But behind every deployment, relocation, and homecoming are children navigating constant change — and too often, gaps in the mental healthcare system meant to support them.

In the first episode of this two-part series, we speak with policy leaders from Nemours Children's Health and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, along with military-connected parents and advocates, about the unique behavioral health challenges facing military-connected youth. From frequent moves and disrupted continuity of care to the stigma surrounding mental health, they discuss what's working, where the system falls short and the policy solutions that could help ensure every military-connected child has access to the care they need, wherever military life takes their family.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

Daniella Gratale, MA, Associate Vice President, Federal Affairs, Nemours Children's Health

Meredith Beck, Vice President for Government Affairs and Community Engagement, Elizabeth Dole Foundation

Duane Duke, MD, FACS, FAAP, Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves, Trauma Medical Director, Nemours Children’s Health

Allison Mejia, Child & Family Advocate, Military Spouse

Elizabeth (Liz) Rotenberry, Director, Caregiver Engagement, The Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and Military Spouse

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

PLEASE NOTE: The comments and opinions of Dr. Duane Duke are his own and do not represent those of the U.S. Army Reserves. 

Resources Mentioned in This Series: 

• Serving Military-Connected Children: Access to Care (PDF)
• Serving Military-Connected Children: Mental Health and Well-Being (PDF)
• Free, online course: Caring for Children and Teens in Military Caregiving Families
• Initiatives at Nemours Children’s to support military-connected youth 
• Military Child and Family Collaboratory
• One Op
• Star Behavioral Health Providers
• Kennedy Krieger Behavioral Health Program for Military Families

Military-focused programs:

• FOCUS UCLA 
• Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness Penn State
• Military REACH Auburn University
• Hidden Helpers Coalition   
  • To inquire about joining the Hidden Helpers Coalition, email [email protected] 

Past Well Beyond Medicine episodes with related topics:

• Ep. 70: Hidden Helpers, Hidden No More (Part 1 of 2)  
• Ep. 71: Hidden Helpers Heard (Part 2 of 2)
• Ep. 90: Forum – Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers (Part 1 of 2)
• Ep. 91: Forum - Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers (Part 2 of 2)
• Ep. 167: Accessing Pediatric Mental Health Services (PATH) (Part 1 of 2)
• Ep. 168: Accessing Pediatric Mental Health Services (PATH) (Part 2 of 2)

General questions related to the content addressed during the podcast: [email protected] 

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

What if the space around you could help you heal? We explore the thoughtful design behind the new Institute for Maternal-Fetal Health at Nemours Children's Health, where every detail was intentionally created to support families facing high-risk pregnancies. Learn how evidence-based health care design brings together architecture, clinical care and emotional wellbeing to reduce stress, improve outcomes for mothers and babies and create an environment where healing begins the moment families walk through the door.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:
Laura Morris, CHID, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C, Lean Green Belt, Design Principal, Perkins&Will

Erin O'Hara, BSN, RNC-OB, Director, Institute for Maternal-Fetal Health, Nemours Children's Health

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Teen relationships have changed dramatically in the digital age. Today, connections often develop through social media, text messages, video chats and location-sharing apps, creating new opportunities for communication – but also new risks for coercion, control and abuse.

Dianne M. Alvarez, DO, Researcher and Resident Physician, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and Emily Egbert, MAT, MPH, ScM, Researcher, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, explore the growing issue of teen digital dating violence, how common it is and what parents, clinicians, educators and communities can do to help young people recognize unhealthy behaviors and build safe, healthy relationships.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:
Dianne M. Alvarez, DO, Researcher and Resident Physician, Nationwide Children's Hospital
Emily Egbert, MAT, MPH, ScM, Researcher, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Just when it seemed decades of progress in reducing youth tobacco use were making a lasting impact, a new generation of nicotine products has emerged — more potent, more discreet and, in many cases, more addictive than ever before.

Susan Walley, MD, MHCM, SFHM, FAAP, Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine, Children's National Hospital, discusses the resurgence of youth nicotine use, the growing popularity of flavored vapes and nicotine pouches, and why these products are raising concerns among pediatricians and public health experts.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:
Susan Walley, MD, MHCM, SFHM, FAAP, Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine, Children's National Hospital

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Medicaid covers nearly half of America’s children, but its impact goes far beyond doctor’s visits and hospital stays. James Perrin, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Founder of the MGH Center for Child and Adolescent Health Policy, explains why Medicaid is one of the nation’s most important investments in children, what’s at stake in current policy debates and how a health care system designed to support health — not just treat illness — could improve outcomes for generations to come.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring: 
James Perrin, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

A child's health journey doesn't begin at birth — it begins much earlier.

In the first part of our two-part Maternal Fetal Health series, Julie S. Moldenhauer, MD, PMH-C, Executive Director, Institute for Maternal Fetal Health, Elizabeth W. Snyder Endowed Chair in Fetal Therapy and Innovation, Nemours Children’s Health, explores how care before birth can shape lifelong health outcomes.

She shares why a children's hospital is investing in care for mothers, babies and families together, and how advances in prenatal diagnosis, fetal intervention, genetic testing, and coordinated family support are transforming the future of pediatric care. Discover how maternal-fetal health is redefining when and where whole child health begins.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:
Julie S. Moldenhauer, MD, PMH-C, FACOG, FACMGG, Executive Director, Institute for Maternal Fetal Health, Elizabeth W. Snyder Endowed Chair in Fetal Therapy and Innovation, Nemours Children’s Health

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

What happens when pediatricians bring their expertise beyond scientific journals and into the public conversation? Weijen W. Chang, MD, FAAP, SFHM, Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine, Nemours Children’s Health, explores how writing can be a powerful tool for advocacy in children’s health. From op-eds and essays to newsletters and personal storytelling, he discusses how clinicians can use their voices to elevate important issues, influence policy and connect with audiences beyond the clinical setting.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:
Weijen W. Chang, MD, FAAP, SFHM, Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine, Nemours Children’s Health

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.