Opening Doors to Hope and Belonging

Thank you to all our listeners for tuning in with open minds and open hearts! This is the final episode of the Opening Doors to Hope and Belonging podcast from DePaul Community Resources for now. But we are not going away, we are just reframing and reimagining this podcast to reach more, do more, and grow more. We hope you will stay tuned for our next big adventure together!

Micki Brumfield and her husband, Chris, have been sponsored residential providers with DePaul Community Resources, or as we like to call them compassionate caregivers, since 2011. If you’re not familiar with the sponsored residential program, it offers children and adults with disabilities compassionate care in a home-based setting. In this episode, host Alison Wickline and Micki discuss her family's journey and the two amazing women whose lives changed and who have changed lives.

Last summer, DePaul Community Resources was thrilled to announce the release of A Goat’s Tale: Billie the Fainting Goat Learns to be Brave by author Amy Burns and illustrated by Julianne Orr. Amy is a licensed professional counselor, a supervisor, and site leader for DePaul’s Abingdon office. In this episode, host Alison Wickline will introduce you to this interactive and educational story about a fainting goat. She'll also catch up with Amy to discuss her work and the journey to get here.

During this pandemic, you might have transitioned to a new way of working or you might have lost your job. You might be struggling with managing childcare. You may be worried about your health and the health of those around you. It’s a lot, and research says self-care can be an important part of weathering these storms. So let’s talk about self-care and the importance of it right now. Join host Alison Wickline, along with Lise Martin, regional trainer at DePaul, and Becky Sellers, a clinician at DePaul, for this informative and encouraging discussion.

Every year, roughly 20,000 youth age out of the foster care system in the United States. When they age out, they face significant challenges in meeting their needs for health care, education, employment, housing and emotional support. But what happens to those youth when a pandemic hits? In this episode, host Alison Wickline searches for those answers and also speaks with DePaul Independent Living Specialist Meredith Breeden to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth in DePaul's program.

Let's step outside the walls of DePaul. Back in Season 1, host Alison Wickline listed some ways to get involved and help the populations DePaul loves and serves. One of those ways was to become a CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, volunteer. In this episode, Alison is joined by CASA program director for the Roanoke Valley Katie Van Patten to discuss this impactful and important work.

The goal of DePaul's Legislative Advocacy Committee is to stay informed and vocal about government policy that makes an impact on the work we do and the people we serve. Ahead of the 2021 Virginia General Assembly Session, committee leader Emily Moore joins host Alison Wickline to discuss what to watch for and what to expect during the session.

Children enter the foster care system at all ages. Some when they are older, some when they are very young. This episode is all about a baby who entered the world and the foster care system and a family who made a commitment to unconditional love.

As the first season of Opening Doors to Hope and Belonging comes to an end, host Alison Wickline is looking back on the podcast's journey and growth. Thank you to listeners who tuned in and those who shared their stories and experiences. Stay tuned for the next season of the podcast coming in the new year.

DePaul’s Community-Based Services program offers a variety of interventions and supports to youth and families in need. In this episode, host Alison Wickline is joined by Laura Boardwine, whose two adopted children are currently receiving counseling and in-home services. Alison and Laura discuss the decision to seek support for Laura's children, the stigma that comes with asking for help, and the effect of community-based services on her family.

Ambiguous loss is an experience foster kids face every day. Now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone in the world can empathize, as we have all experienced the loss of things that aren’t really gone, but aren’t there anymore (far-away family, routines, school friends, etc). Join host Alison Wickline and Kate Means, director of foster care and independent living, for an informative and eye-opening discussion about this unique kind of loss.

DePaul’s sponsored residential providers are committed and compassionate caregivers who open their homes to children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. In this episode, host Alison Wickline is speaking with one of those compassionate caregivers, Joyce. Joyce cares for 11-year-old Lily, and Lily’s mom, Jessica, is also joining the episode to discuss her family's decision to seek compassionate care for Lily.

In this episode, host Alison Wickline and Morgan Bays-Simpson discuss the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, and more specifically, the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program. Morgan is a recruiter for Wendy’s Wonderful Kids and works at DePaul. Through the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program, the Foundation funds recruiters, like Morgan, who use a child-focused model to find permanent homes for children in foster care.

When children and families find themselves at a crossroads where clinical services are necessary to heal and move forward, DePaul’s Community-Based Services are there to guide the way. In this episode, host Alison Wickline is joined by members of the community-based services team to discuss the program as well as new support groups for teenagers in need.

J.D. and Gabby Range started their foster care journey with open minds and open hearts. They hoped the journey would eventually lead to an adoption, but they were committed to changing a child’s life either way. In this episode, host Alison Wickline is joined by Gabby to discuss the importance of having an open home, open heart, and open mind.

Shannon Shepherd is an adoption specialist and supervisor at DePaul. She also grew up in and out of the foster care system, giving her a unique connection to the work she does every day. Join host Alison Wickline as she discusses Shannon's emotional full-circle journey.

Join host Alison Wickline and DePaul regional recruiter Emily Moore for Part Two of an introduction to the complex topic of Medicaid waivers. This episode is a chance to take a more in-depth look at the two Medicaid waiver programs that provide services for individuals with disabilities, the Commonwealth Coordinated Care (CCC) Plus waiver and the Developmental Disabilities (DD) waiver.

Join host Alison Wickline and DePaul regional recruiter Emily Moore for Part One of an introduction to the complex topic of Medicaid Waivers. This episode is a chance to learn more about the two Medicaid Waiver programs that provide services for individuals with disabilities, the Commonwealth Coordinated Care (CCC) Plus Medicaid Waiver and the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Medicaid Waivers Program.

DePaul's sponsored residential home providers, or compassionate caregivers, empower individuals with disabilities to be active members of families, experience community involvement, and find normalcy in everyday life. Join host Alison Wickline as she sits down with a compassionate caregiver to learn more about opening your heart and home to an individual in need.

Guest: Amber Wieringo, director of residential servicesQuestions: What is the sponsored residential program? What does it mean to be a compassionate caregiver? How is a sponsored residential home beneficial for an individual with a disability? How has COVID-19 affected the program and DePaul's sponsored residential homes?

Along the often-challenging road to independence, DePaul’s Independent Living (IL) program offers support to young people as they transition from life in foster care to life as adults. Join host Alison Wickline as she discusses the program with DePaul staff as well as an individual who credits the program with changing her life.

Join host Alison Wickline and DePaul regional recruiters Emily Moore and Chris Tompkins as they bust myths surrounding foster care.

Want to know what life is like as a foster parent? Join host Alison Wickline and DePaul foster parents Debra and Brett Martin for an open and honest conversation about this topic and so much more.

Join host Alison Wickline as she discusses the foster care system with Kate Means, director of foster care and independent living at DePaul. Questions: What is most important for people to understand about foster care? What does foster-to-adopt mean? Where do prospective foster parents start? How will COVID-19 affect the foster care system?