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Dental practice cybersecurity is a patient-retention problem, not an IT problem. Health and Human Services counts a ransomware infection as a reportable breach, and Dr. Lorne Lavine has watched practices lose a quarter of their patients after mailing that notification letter. He and Naren cover why an out-of-date operating system is a HIPAA violation by definition, why patient information can never go into ChatGPT, and what AI search is doing to how patients choose a dentist. Dr. Lavine is offering listeners a complimentary security audit, no cost and no obligation: https://thedigitaldentist.com/call See how your practice shows up in AI search — book a Complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting (Gift for our listeners) : https://ekwa.com/td Gary is taking new coaching clients (Reserve Your Free call): https://thrivingdentist.com/csm
Ultra National SecurityCensorship under the guise of National Security has plagued my life fromearliest childhood to date.When my pedophile father was caught sending child pornography of methrough the US mail in 1960, he was granted immunity from prosecution foragreeing to sell me into CIA MK Ultra mind control. National Security wasinvoked on the case and my father went free while I was sold into slavery.CIA targets sexually abused children for MK Ultra servitude due to theirheightened suggestibility from trauma. The pedophile agenda is a mindcontrol agenda. My father's immunity from prosecution in 1960 shows howlong our Justice system has been corrupted to allow for the proliferation ofpedophilia for so called “Reasons of National Security”!Research for yourself Project Paperclip when we imported Nazi scientistsand their formula for MK Ultra mind control into the US. Knowledge is ourdefense against mind control so the National Security Act was enacted in1947 to ensure secrecy while the CIA formed the same year to impose itworldwide.National Security is threatening the security of human evolution by allowingfor the proliferation of pedophilia and child sex trafficking/harvesting.When Mark Phillips rescued Kelly and me out of the Washington DC MKUltra swamp in 1988, over $3 million was confiscated from his bankaccounts with no due process for so-called “Reasons of National Security”.My named abusers then Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and USSenator Byrd said they “took Mark's life savings for saving a life”. Mark'sfriends in Intelligence, including then US Customs Director WilliamVonRaab fought for return of his savings until they reportedly disappearedunder US Attorney General Janet Reno.Mark was working the highest levels of Intelligence mind sciences topreserve the sanctity of free thought when he found birthright informationon mind brain function-our defense against mind control and healing fromtrauma-buried under National Security. Mark knew this knowledge is ourdefense against mind control, yet was bound by laws of sedition fromreleasing it. Mark reminded Kelly and me of our birthright to heal fromwithin, which we used to deprogram our traumatic past through journalingby hand. Since it was my experience to heal with these methods and I amnot bound by laws of sedition, I released them in PTSD: Time to Heal.The FBI/CPS child trafficking catch-net operation I witnessed beingstructured by US Senator Byrd, who was my “owner” in MK Ultra since Iwas 13 yrs old and subsequently Kelly's “owner”, was the very system mydaughter was thrust into. Love for Kelly and outrage for her direincarceration compelled me to speak out on MK Ultra mind control andhealing from it. I spoke before the Tennessee Legislature April 13, 1992resulting in a Bill being passed in Kelly's name that was ultimatelyoverridden by National Security.March 17, 1993 National Security was invoked in open court in mydaughter Kelly's case by Judge Andrew Shookhoff in Nashville, Tennessee.Kelly's medical kidnapping by CPS in 1990 resulted in her being heldpolitical prisoner by Tn. Department of Human Services aka ChildProtective Services 1990-1998. My ‘legal' battle for Kelly's freedom in acorrupted court system resulted in Judge Shookhoff stating in open court“laws do not apply in this case for Reasons of National Security.”My 1995 testimony for US Congress was censored under National Securityby then President Bill Clinton due to overwhelming evidence against him,Hillary, and numerous other perpeTraitors of their globalist slave societyagenda Bush Sr. termed New World Order aka Agenda 2030. Concernedmembers of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, who wereoutraged at the National Security censorship, had my testimony printed inbook form TRANCE Formation of America, and hand distributed it to allmembers of Congress, key agencies, and the Presidency. Despite thiseffort, National Security remains on my testimony to date.1947 National Security Act is threatening the security of our nation bycovering up crimes against humanity including MK Ultra and by allowingperpeTraitors to remain free.
Fewer kindergartners were vaccinated during the last school year. A group of senators is calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to restore canceled patient safety grants. And Universal Health Services finalizes its acquisition of Talkspace. Listen to the latest episode of The Gist Healthcare Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trust the science. Trust the experts. But what happens when ideology and financial incentives start driving medicine?In this episode of Speak Up! Virginia, Candi Cushman and Victoria Cobb discuss the new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report, Wolves in White Coats, and what it reveals about the push for gender transition procedures for children.They discuss:• What the HHS report found about financial incentives, medical practices, and potentially improper billing• The lack of FDA approval for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to treat gender dysphoria in children• How parents and patients may have been misled about risks and long-term consequences• The legal implications for schools and why recent Supreme Court decisions are changing the landscape in Virginia• A new legal memo from Founding Freedoms Law Center and America First Legal urging Virginia school boards to review their policies• What parents can do to speak up and protect their children
August 16 through 22, 2026, we celebrate our 16th Mercury-Free Dentistry Week. Consumers for Dental Choice has engineered a tectonic shift in dentistry — modern dentists no longer place mercury-based dental fillings (amalgam) — and aware consumers shun them Unlike a decade ago, neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor the World Health Organization defends amalgam, and major dental products companies have stopped making it During the last 16 years, I have watched my friend Charlie Brown, executive director for Consumers for Dental Choice, build a powerhouse national and international force that is changing dentistry 180-degrees, from mercury-based to mercury-free In early February 2026, the U.S. Indian Health Service announced it will "end the use of mercury-containing dental amalgam in its facilities by 2027, transitioning to mercury-free restorative materials across IHS and tribal dental program" In July 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sent a notification urging – but not requiring – all state Medicaid directors to phase out the use of mercury-containing dental fillings by restricting or ending their state's Medicaid coverage for amalgam But the fight is far from over. Amalgam is still routinely used in government programs serving our military, the institutionalized, and low-income families. To end this morally unacceptable system of choice for the rich and mercury for the poor, once again I put my money where my mouth is. Until midnight on August 22, 2026, I will match your gift to Consumers for Dental Choice, dollar for dollar. I'm all in with this cause and ask you to join me!
On the week's episode, SchoolHouse Connection founder Barbara Duffield joins to discuss the different approaches the U.S. government has for tallying youth and family homelessness. We also discussed recent Trump policy announcements around the McKinney-Vento program and Head Start, and why she thinks these issues would be best handled by the Department of Health and Human Services. Barbara Duffield is the founder and executive director of SchoolHouse Connection. She was the Director of Education for the National Coalition for the Homeless from 1994 to 2003.Reading RoomMissing the Point: When Media, Advocates, and Policymakers Use Data That Exclude Children and Youthhttps://schoolhouseconnection.org/article/hud-pit-count-misses-homeless-children-youthProposed Head Start Rule Eliminates Critical Protections for Children Experiencing Homelessnesshttps://schoolhouseconnection.org/article/hud-pit-count-misses-homeless-children-youth
Rural Health News is a weekly segment of Rural Health Today, a podcast by Hillsdale Hospital. News sources for this episode: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Et al., “#StopRansomware: Gunra Ransomware,” August 10, 2026, https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-08/aa26-222a-stopransomware-gunra-ransomware_508c.pdf. Giles Bruce, “Gunra ransomware targets hospitals: CISA, FBI issue new warning,” August 12, 2026, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/cybersecurity/gunra-ransomware-targets-hospitals-cisa-fbi-issue-new-warning/, Becker's Health IT. Department of Health and Human Services, “Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; Other Policy Changes; and Adoption of Updated Versions of Certain Health Information Technology Standards,” https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-04/pdf/2026-15833.pdf. Miranda A. Franco & Jennifer F. Hananoki, “CMS Releases Fiscal Year 2027 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule,” August 10, 2026, https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2026/08/cms-releases-fiscal-year-2027-ipps-and-ltch-final-rule, Holland & Knight. Meghan Basler, “CMS Proposes 2.4% IPPS Update for FY 2027 with Targeted Payment Adjustments, DSH Reductions, and Expanded Oversight Across Hospital Policies,” https://www.appliedpolicy.com/cms-proposes-2-4-ipps-update-for-fy-2027-with-targeted-payment-adjustments-dsh-reductions-and-expanded-oversight-across-hospital-policies/, Applied Policy. Mitch Carr, “Target 7: Southwest Virginia medical school tackles rural healthcare crisis,” August 10, 2026, https://www.wdbj7.com/2026/08/10/target-7bridging-gap-southwest-virginia-medical-school-tackles-rural-healthcare-crisis/, WDBJ7. Rural Health Today is a production of Hillsdale Hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan and a member of the Health Podcast Network. Our host is JJ Hodshire, our producer is Kyrsten Newlon, and our audio engineer is Kenji Ulmer. Special thanks to our special guests for sharing their expertise on the show, and also to the Hillsdale Hospital marketing team. If you want to submit a question for us to answer on the podcast or learn more about Rural Health Today, visit ruralhealthtoday.com.
On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Dr. Abdou Tenkouano, Director General for the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe). They discuss the insect being used to create everything from biofertilizers to animal feed, the efforts underway to control diseases transmitted by the world's deadliest animal—the mosquito, and private sector collaborations helping icipe scale their innovations around the world. Plus, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announces two actions focused on food safety and nutrition, the Senate Farm Bill fails to advance out of Committee, research on microorganisms in Mexico's soils show promise for sustainable agriculture, a new proposal aims to strengthen South-South cooperation, and an extension model in Nigeria improves climate- smart farming and nutrition security. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" wherever you consume your podcasts.
Enjoy chilling tales of the Loup Garou, the Boo Hag, the Moon-Eyed People, and many more supernatural entities in this collection of spooky Southern US encounters.Beneath live oaks laden with Spanish moss, on humid nights thick with the scent of honeysuckle, creatures and spirits stalk the woods and towns of the American South. From Confederate ghosts to places haunted by history, from mysterious objects with suspected interstellar origins to the putrid stench of a humanoid monster, Sherry Malaver Parada takes you on a tour of the peculiar happenings below the Mason-Dixon Line.Join us on a stroll under the magnolias with these macabre tales that have defined the term "southern gothic." The mystery is thicker than granny's gravy, so sit down for some cryptids, cornbread, and a whole mess of strange.Sherry Malaver Parada holds an MA in Human Services from the University of Providence and is the Executive Director at a counseling center. Her passions are education, research, folklore, urban legends, and writing. When she's not writing grants for her job or books about her passions, Sherry enjoys painting, drawing, spending time with her pets, and going all out for Halloween.https://www.sherry-malaver-parada.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/earth-ancients--2790919/support.
No, this is not AI… the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., joined us on the pod… On the net, it's a positive. ------ Tour Dates: https://johncristcomedy.com/tour/ New Merch: https://store.johncristcomedy.com/ ----- SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS COWBOY COLOSTRUM: For a limited time, our listeners get up to 25% off their entire order, just head to https://cowboycolostrum.com/netpositive and use code NETPOSITIVE at checkout. ZOCDOC: Taking care of your health just got easier – start at: https://zocdoc.com/NETPOSITIVE PONCHO: Get $10 off your first order at https://ponchooutdoors.com/NETPOSITIVE when you enter your email. CURE HYDRATION: Real ingredients. Real hydration. Use code NETPOSITIVE for 20% off at https://curehydration.com ----- SUBMIT A VIDEO: https://bit.ly/NetPositiveMail ----- EMAIL US: netpositive@johncristcomedy.com ----- WRITE US: Net Positive P.O. Box 40268 Nashville, TN 37204 ----- Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media for clips, bonus content, and updates throughout the week. ----- NET POSITIVE PODCAST ON SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/netpositivepodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@netpositivepodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@netpositivepod ----- JOHN CRIST ON SOCIAL: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/johnbcrist TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johncristcomedian Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnbcrist/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnbcrist/ X: https://x.com/johnbcrist Website: https://johncristcomedy.com/ ----- PRODUCED BY: Alex Lagos: https://www.instagram.com/mralexlagos Easton Smith: https://www.instagram.com/eastonjsmith Lagos Creative: https://www.lagoscreative.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Your Nebraska Update headlines for today, Aug. 12, include: closure of Tyson Foods plant in Lexington left workers with lots of questions, Omaha school gets approval to open after initial hesitation from Republican members on State Board of Education, Nebraska universities are considering how to implement AI responsibly as national data shows about 90% of college students are using AI in class, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has distributed about $140 million through Rural Health Transformation Program, Omaha will cover cost of demolishing or repairing former Brother's Lounge building, Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announced $17 million volleyball complex ballot initiative, environmental groups say raising awareness of prairies could help spur conservation efforts.
American Red Cross declares blood crisis The American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis, only the second time in its history it has taken that step. The first was in January 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, blood donations have fallen to a four-year summer low, and demand remains elevated. The shortage is especially urgent for type O blood, as supplies of O positive fell below a one-day supply in late July. Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll look at what's driving this shortage, how it's affecting hospitals and patients, and how you can help rebuild the nation's blood supply. Guest:- Christina Peters, Northern Ohio Regional Communications Director, American Red Cross Global HIV/AIDS research continues despite cuts to U.S. funding Later in the hour, a conversation about HIV/AIDS funding and the latest in research and treatment options. In 2019, during his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump called for the elimination of HIV transmission in the U.S. by 2030. Two years later, the United Nations adopted a similar declaration globally. But in 2026, those goals are facing significant challenges. In March 2025, the Trump administration terminated a federal advisory committee on HIV prevention and treatment. By the end of the year, global government funding to low and middle-income countries fell 25% compared with 2024, according to KFF. This February, the administration rescinded $600 million in Centers for Disease Control grants supporting HIV prevention and surveillance programs. Then in April, Trump announced plans to remove all members of the HIV/AIDS Presidential Advisory Council. Those changes came shortly after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services laid off more than 10,000 federal health employees, including staff working on infectious disease and HIV/AIDS. The U.S. set out to reduce new HIV infections by 75% by 2025, which would have brought the number of new cases down to about 9,300. But the latest CDC data from 2024 puts the number of cases closer to 39,000. So, is the 2030 goal line still within reach? The future is uncertain. Guest:- Asia Russell, Executive Director, Health GAP (Global Access Project) Ideastream's Summer Interns Last week, we said goodbye to our 2026 cohort of interns here at Ideastream Public Media. Throughout the summer, our nine Cleveland interns learned about their respective fields and honed their crafts throughout our multiple departments – including news, marketing and radio broadcast. To learn more about these interns– what they accomplished here, their career aspirations and what they took away from this experience – we brought them on the show. We heard from four interns last week, and on Wednesday we will hear from the remaining five. Guests:- Grace Claxon, News Intern, Ideastream Public Media- Benjamin Giesen, WCLV Intern, Ideastream Public Media- Kiera McGuire, Sound of Ideas Intern, Ideastream Public Media- Sonya Suri, Digital Content Intern, Ideastream Public Media- TJ Thomas, Intern from University School, Ideastream Public Media
There's been a lot of talk in North Dakota in recent weeks about kratom after Gov. Kelly Armstrong issued executive orders banning the substance and called lawmakers into a special session in Bismarck with an eye toward making that ban permanent. But what does the kratom industry think about it? "We agree with the governor in part and we disagree in another part," Mac Haddow said on this episode of Plain Talk. "It's a lot like being married, right? We have to get it right at the end." Haddow is a former state lawmaker, and a Reagan-era chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Currently, he's a senior fellow on public policy at the American Kratom Association, and where he and his organization agree with Armstrong is on synthetic kratom. He said that colloquial descriptors like "gas station heroin" are accurate. "There's no question it's the same as an opioid." But on a previous episode of Plain Talk, Armstrong said the natural, botanical variety of kratom should be banned too, and that's where Haddow and his group diverge. Natural kratom is a different animal. "This is akin to what happened during Prohibition," he argued. "We don't call moonshine corn and we certainly don't call caffeine coffee. These are things that need to be closely examined and properly regulated." Haddow argues that good policy coming out of this session would ban synthetic kratom and regulate the natural variety to ensure that it's only available to adults and is transparent about things like ingredients and dosage. Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I responded to listener feedback and talked about renewed controversy around Fargo-area state lawmaker Rep. Desiree Morton. In June, Morton attacked fellow lawmakers for allowing Somali volunteers on their campaigns. More recently, in private messages, Morton insinuated that a ward proposal for Fargo's city government would allow "imports" to take over the city. Morton said in her message that she's "not a hater," but Oban disagrees. "She is a hater," he said. "She's a bigot. She's a racist." If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive
There's been a lot of talk in North Dakota in recent weeks about kratom after Gov. Kelly Armstrong issued executive orders banning the substance and called lawmakers into a special session in Bismarck with an eye toward making that ban permanent. But what does the kratom industry think about it? "We agree with the governor in part and we disagree in another part," Mac Haddow said on this episode of Plain Talk. "It's a lot like being married, right? We have to get it right at the end." Haddow is a former state lawmaker, and a Reagan-era chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Currently, he's a senior fellow on public policy at the American Kratom Association, and where he and his organization agree with Armstrong is on synthetic kratom. He said that colloquial descriptors like "gas station heroin" are accurate. "There's no question it's the same as an opioid." But on a previous episode of Plain Talk, Armstrong said the natural, botanical variety of kratom should be banned too, and that's where Haddow and his group diverge. Natural kratom is a different animal. "This is akin to what happened during Prohibition," he argued. "We don't call moonshine corn and we certainly don't call caffeine coffee. These are things that need to be closely examined and properly regulated." Haddow argues that good policy coming out of this session would ban synthetic kratom and regulate the natural variety to ensure that it's only available to adults and is transparent about things like ingredients and dosage. Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I responded to listener feedback and talked about renewed controversy around Fargo-area state lawmaker Rep. Desiree Morton. In June, Morton attacked fellow lawmakers for allowing Somali volunteers on their campaigns. More recently, in private messages, Morton insinuated that a ward proposal for Fargo's city government would allow "imports" to take over the city. Morton said in her message that she's "not a hater," but Oban disagrees. "She is a hater," he said. "She's a bigot. She's a racist." If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive
Congress can't solve America's biggest challenges if it's stuck—and this conversation explored why, and what it will take to move forward.On August 5, Dr. Maya Kornberg, Senior Research Fellow at the Brennan Center and author of "STUCK: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress", and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), examined the forces that keep Congress from delivering results, including relentless fundraising demands, the growing threat of political violence, media incentives, and outdated institutional structures. Despite these barriers, both speakers emphasized that meaningful reform is possible through stronger ethics rules, campaign finance reform, better-resourced congressional staff, and a renewed commitment to making government work for the people it serves. They also challenged Americans to embrace a forward-looking vision of democracy that reflects the nation's growing diversity rather than clinging to the past.The discussion closed with a clear reminder that protecting democracy requires more than voting—it demands sustained civic engagement. With Election Day approaching, attendees were encouraged to take action every day by organizing, advocating, and helping build a government that truly represents the American people.Check out Dr. Maya Kornberg's book STUCK here:https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/54126/stuck?utmLearn more about the Brennan Center for Justice here:https://www.brennancenter.org/ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:Maya L. Kornberg, Ph.D., is a senior research fellow and manager at NYU Law's Brennan Center for Justice. She is the author of the book “Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress” (Johns Hopkins University Press) and “Inside Congressional Committees: Function and Dysfunction in Lawmaking” (Columbia University Press). Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, NPR, BBC, The New York Times, Newsweek, The Hill, Slate, and other outlets.Congresswoman Lauren Underwood represents Illinois' 14th Congressional District and is the first woman, first person of color, and first millennial to serve her community in Congress. A registered nurse, she is the co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, leading efforts to improve maternal health outcomes and eliminate disparities. She also serves as Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee and on the House Appropriations Committee. Before Congress, Rep. Underwood served as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she helped implement the Affordable Care Act and strengthen the nation's public health. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigtentnews.substack.com
Welcome back to another edition of NCSEA On Location. Tim Lightner (Courtland Consulting) is joined today by NCSEA President Connie Chesnik (Administrator, Division of Family and Economic Security at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families), along with Past-Presidents Charles Smith (Vice President of Business Development atGreenCourt Legal Technologies in Texas) and Jim Fleming (Director, Child Support Section at the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services). Together, we are diving into the landmark April 1st Child Support Briefingsheld for House Ways & Means and Senate Finance committee staffers in Washington, D.C. Stay tuned as they discuss the months of planning behind the event, the key legislative priorities presented, and our guests' key takeaways from reading the room. To become an NCSEA individual member, visit Individual Membership | NCSEA,If you are an NCSEA member, you can view the NCSEA legislative proposals at Legislative-Update.June-2026.pdf.
Brian Christine, Assistant Secretary for Health of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, makes his debut on the morning show with Sid to discuss President Trump signing an executive order to reduce recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11.
It's Tuesday, August 11th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson and Timothy Reed Canada euthanized Christian grandmother against her will The nation of Canada continues down the dark path of euthanasia. This time, comes this shocking story, where the state euthanized Brigitte Stegemann, an 83-year-old Christian grandmother, against her will and the will of her family. On the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition blog, her granddaughter said, “One of our greatest ethical concerns is that GG had explicitly declined [Medical Assistance in Dying], stating it violated her Christian faith. Once a vulnerable patient explicitly declines this path, the facility should never have targeted her for re-evaluation behind closed doors while her primary advocate was away.” More than 5% of all deaths in Canada are attributed to Medical Assistance in Dying. It is the fifth leading cause of death there. Psalm 94:4 and 6 cries out: “How long shall they utter and speak hard things and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? … They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.” Severe drought in Europe and blazing hot July in America God has brought a severe drought on Europe. Since 1836, the month of July was the driest for England and Wales in recorded history, reports Reuters. Similarly, the United States experienced the hottest July since 1895. Also, March 2026 was the hottest March ever — 9.4° above the 20th-century average. Ukraine drone attack killed 13 Russians, injured 75 Ukraine's drone attack on Russia's oil hub killed 13 citizens and wounded another 75 over the weekend, reports PBS. Russia says they shut down 450 drones. In addition, Russia killed 21 people in Kyiv in this ongoing drone-based tit-for-tat warfare. The changing military alliances overseas Internationally, nations are lining up in allied positions. Just last week, Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia signed a pact, in which all three nations agreed that an attack on any of the three nations would be taken as an attack on all. Pakistan's relationship with China has also warmed up considerably. China supplies Pakistan's military weaponry and Pakistan strongly supports Beijing on Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea. If we include China's growing relationship with Russia, this axis of powers now holds 6,100 nuclear warheads in total, almost exactly the same number held by the allied powers of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, and Israel. Keep in mind: God is over all the armies of the Earth. Isaiah 13:4–5 states that “The LORD of hosts musters the army for battle. They come from a far country, from the end of Heaven, the LORD and His weapons of indignation, to destroy the whole land.” Columbia hit by major earthquake Another devastating earthquake hit Colombia yesterday morning, killing 111 people, reports the Associated Press. It was 7.4 on the Richter scale. This follows another 7.5 earthquake in Venezuela a few weeks ago, that killed 5,000 people. Colombia produces 80% of the world's cocaine. However, Friday marked the first day in office for Colombia's new president — Abelardo de la Espriella. He is an admirer of President Donald Trump and had promised an "all-out war" on the drug cartels. South America has swung to the right over the last few years. Now eight countries are led by presidents who would align more with President Donald Trump. Only three South American nations are led by presidents that bend towards the left including Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela. Two-thirds of Americans support the death penalty Pew Research has found that Americans favor the use of the death penalty for murder convictions, in line with Genesis 9:6. A full two-thirds of Americans say they favor the death penalty, and only 32% oppose it. The numbers have remained about the same for the last seven years. Yet, in the first half of 2026, capital juries chose not to execute the murderer at least 19 times, more often than to execute. Murders in America average 15,000 per year, yet on average, only 23 murderers are put to death. That's one-tenth of one percent! And this year, only 19 murderers have received the death penalty. Genesis 9:6 says, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in His own image.” Network for Hope shut down for its immoral organ donor system The Department of Health and Human Services has decertified Network for Hope, an organ transplant organization that was exposed for unsafe and immoral practices. Heidi Klessig of Life Site News explained, “Removing Network for Hope's certification was absolutely necessary, but will not address the most pressing problem underlying our current organ donation system: organ donors must be biologically alive in order to donate viable organs.” Attorney General Todd Blanche eager to end mail-order abortions And finally, newly appointed Attorney General Todd Blanche has pledged to work towards solidifying pro-life gains across the country, as well as to end mail-order abortions. Not surprisingly, all Democrats voted against Blanche's nomination. According to Americans United for Life, “Through his statements and actions as Acting Attorney General, Mr. Blanche has shown himself to be a sincere advocate for human life and a faithful servant of President Trump's pro-life agenda.” And Blanche himself has stated, “If states have said, ‘We are going to protect the unborn and we're going to protect every life from the moment of conception,' we're putting practices and policies in place so that other states and other organizations can't attack that. They can't do things like they're doing with mailing in mail-order drugs.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, August 11th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Print story United States exits United Nations Livestock group The United States government is pulling out of the United Nations' Global Plan of Action for Sustainable Livestock Transformation, The New American reported. The decision, announced by the Officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Paul Welcher, comes because the declaration promotes climate change, so-called equality, and other radical policies. Per Politico, “The plan, which is completely voluntary, was finally adopted by delegates on Friday [July 17]. It advises countries to address issues such as biodiversity, animal welfare, emissions and how to prevent the spread of disease.”
At least 111 people are killed as a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hits Colombia, Netanyahu rejects a Trump-backed Gaza peace plan, Trump changes the U.S. child vaccine schedule, alleged Irish crime boss Kinahan is charged after extradition, seven people are killed as the Houthis strike a Yemen port and a Saudi refinery, a U.K. charity is investigated over alleged Hamas financing links, UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation accuse Gianni Infantino of a "fundamental breach of trust," Typhoon Dolphin slams China as 1 million people are evacuated, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services propose new scrutiny of food additives and ingredients, CRISPR gene editing produces the world's first hypoallergenic dogs. Sources: Verity.News
As an increasing number of Americans across the political spectrum voice concerns about the health risks of ultra-processed foods, correspondent Bill Whitaker speaks with Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Dr. David Kessler. Whitaker reports on a decades-old government classification for substances in our food and why Kennedy and Kessler are calling for change. Sarah Koch is the producer.Sixteen years after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the government has all but collapsed and gangs battle for control of the capital Port-au-Prince. Correspondent Anderson Cooper visits an orphanage in the besieged city where children have been sheltered from the violence for more than four years. Run by bestselling author Mitch Albom, the organization Have Faith Haiti takes in vulnerable children and, with an emphasis on education and faith, gives them a chance at an extraordinary future. Denise Schrier Cetta is the producer.An unscripted underdog saga is unfolding in the most unlikely setting this college football season. Indiana University's perennially overlooked and outmatched Hoosiers have transformed into the #1 ranked team in the country. Correspondent Jon Wertheim speaks with head coach Curt Cignetti and dives into how this remarkable turnaround took shape – as the undefeated Hoosiers contend for a national championship. David M. Levine is the producer.
It's Friday, August 7th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Tanzanian Christians worried about Muslim threats In several Muslim-majority communities along Tanzania's coast in eastern Africa along the Indian Ocean, small Christian churches continue to worship under growing pressure, with pastors and congregations describing intimidation, disruption, and insecurity, reports International Christian Concern. For many believers in Zanzibar and parts of coastal Tanzania, where 99 percent of the population is Muslim, church leaders say some congregations have experienced threats, harassment, and occasional attacks. One pastor said, “When a church is threatened, it is not only a building that is affected. People begin to fear even the simple act of coming together to pray. Mothers worry about bringing their children, and some believers spend the entire service looking over their shoulders instead of worshipping freely.” Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Tanzania. Trump, Hegseth clashed over missile depletion concerns President Donald Trump's frustration over the Iran war boiled over at Camp David last week, where he demanded answers from War Secretary Pete Hegseth on why he had apparently been misled on extreme munitions shortages that now threaten to limit military options with Iran, reports The Washington Post. President Trump vented at Hegseth that he thought the munitions issue “had been fixed.” The shortages, particularly in long-range guided missiles and air-defense interceptors, have been part of the reason President Trump has pulled back from launching additional massive strikes against Iran in recent days. Senate Republicans hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress Senate Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in contempt of Congress after he declined to answer lawmakers' questions during a fiery hearing last week, reports NBC News. Fauci, who has been a target of the right since he served as a top health official during the Covid pandemic, invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during the hearing, explaining in his opening remarks that he believed Republicans would try to use his testimony to prosecute him. However, Fauci had been given a full and unconditional pardon by President Joe Biden before he left office on January 19, 2025. In an 8-5 party-line vote, Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held Fauci in contempt. Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, the committee chair, said, “We are voting on whether a witness who has received the benefit of a sweeping federal pardon can be ordered by this committee to answer questions and then defy that order without consequence.” He added, “I ordered him to answer and warned him about contempt, yet he still refused. That is obstruction of a congressional investigation.” The committee can refer the contempt of Congress resolution directly to the Justice Department or request that Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota hold a full Senate vote. Senator Paul said the committee would hand-deliver the referral to the Justice Department. Contempt of Congress is a criminal misdemeanor offense punishable by up to a $100,000 fine and one year in jail. Proverbs 18:12 says, “Before a downfall, the heart is haughty …” In an impromptu press conference, Senator Paul insisted that Dr. Fauci be held accountable for the COVID-19 pandemic. PAUL: “A million Americans died, and I think they deserve to know the truth. Anthony Fauci has advocated for dangerous gain-of-function research for two decades now. The question ‘why' is not a question that he can have liability for. “He was given a pardon. Interestingly, the pardon starts in 2014. That's when the funding of the lab in Wuhan, [China] started. So, I think he should answer questions. As far as pleading the Fifth [Amendment] when you have a pardon, all you have to do is tell the truth, just not commit a new crime. So, I think the American people do deserve to know this. “This is the same Anthony Fauci who said, in a Washington Post op-ed in 2011, even if a pandemic should start from a lab, if someone's bitten in a lab or the virus escapes the lab, that the knowledge would be worth the risks. I don't think many Americans believe that! “This deserves to be thoroughly, exhaustively debated, so we don't do this again.” Christian congressman: Dr. Fauci under divine judgment Appearing with Fox News Host Brian Kilmeade on July 27th, Republican Congressman Tim Burchett of Tennessee talked about the recent revelations from Dr. Anthony Fauci's pandemic-era diary entries which showed a fixation on his own "explosive" fame, reports The Christian Post. KILMEADE: “Congressman, we saw this, but now we can read this. What changes about how this guy is perceived once and for all?” BURCHETT: “I think his arrogance shows. The Bible talks about professing themselves to be wise; they became fools. We closed down mom-and-pop operations. Jewish and Christian fellowships were shut down. The big boys were allowed to stay open. This thing was a disaster from the start, and we celebrated this guy, [meaning Fauci].” The phrase from Romans 1:22-28, which is part of the Apostle Paul's larger indictment against the pagan world, describes the corruption and prideful self-delusion that afflicts the minds of those who reject God. The refusal to worship God leads to a litany of self-destructive sins that ends with God abandoning individuals and societies "to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” Southwest Airlines blocks ICE from detaining illegal aliens on 6 flights Firm in the belief that immigration enforcement is bad for business, Southwest Airlines is pushing back hard against efforts to detain illegal immigrants at U.S. airports, reports The Western Journal. A report from the Wall Street Journal highlights a July 25 incident in which an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent tried to board a Southwest Airlines jet in Dallas. The agent was prevented from carrying out his duties by Southwest Airlines. The Dallas-based airline staff also refused to share passenger information with ICE. In recent weeks, a half-dozen other incidents involving Southwest have taken place. The incidents occur as ICE has been broadening their efforts to arrest illegal aliens at airports. Write a polite, 3-sentence letter of complaint to Southwest Airlines President Bob Jordan. Send it to: 2702 Love Field Drive, Dallas, TX 75235. Planned Parenthood sues Trump over denial of Title X funding And finally, Planned Parenthood is suing the Trump administration to challenge updated Title X funding guidelines issued earlier this year that could render the abortion giant ineligible for so-called “family planning” grants, reports LifeSiteNews.com. In April, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services issued updated guidelines for Title X applications, which drop contraception promotion in favor of “natural family planning methods,” tout an objective to “strengthen family formation and assist clients in achieving healthy pregnancies,” and require applicants to reject abortion as a method of family planning. The new standards threaten to disqualify longtime Title X recipients such as Planned Parenthood. As a result, the nation's largest abortion chain announced on July 29 that it is suing the Trump administration over them. Isaiah 59:7 describes the abortion giant to a “t.” “Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. Desolation and destruction mark their ways.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, August 7th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Health and Human Services has decertified Network For Hope, a Kentucky-based organ procurement group, after allegations they did not follow proper safety procedures. Would-be donor TJ Hoover was hospitalized after a cardiac arrest. His family says that despite medical staff documenting improved neurological function, organ donor evaluation continued. Hoover survived. Network For Hope says they will appeal the decision. Emmy Award-winning actors Juno Temple and Hannah Waddingham share their thoughts on returning to "Ted Lasso" for a fourth season after a three-year hiatus. Temple returns as publicist Keeley Jones while Waddingham is back as club owner Rebecca Welton. Music lovers are weighing in on the 2026 song of the summer contenders. Jem Aswad, Variety's executive music editor, shares what he thinks makes a hit the standout of the season.
Thousands of people in the Rochester region are losing SNAP benefits due to new federal guidelines. According to reporting by WXXI's Noelle Evans, the Monroe County Department of Human Services closed 3,900 cases at the end of May due to non-compliance or not verifying an exemption to new work requirements for some people without dependents. This hour, we're joined by Rochester City Councilmember Mitch Gruber. He discusses the changes and answers listener questions. He also addresses a summer meal program. In studio:Mitch Gruber, Ph.D., member of Rochester City Council---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.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.
Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller will be investigated by a congressional ethics panel following domestic abuse allegations made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, and a former girlfriend. Miller requested the probe himself, saying he wants to clear his name and has "nothing to hide." The Ohio congressman is facing growing pressure from both Democrats and Republicans but says he will remain in the race for reelection. Ohio's third measles outbreak of 2026 has brought the state's total to 45 cases across 10 counties. Health officials say cases continue to rise nationwide as vaccination rates remain below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity. Cuyahoga County voters will decide in November whether to approve a 2.5-mill increase to the Health and Human Services levy. They'll also weigh two charter amendments that would limit the county executive's authority to appoint and remove members of certain boards and commissions. County Council also withdrew a proposal to make the sheriff an elected position, rather than appointed, and rejected a charter amendment clarifying the roles of the county law department and prosecutor. The subsequent measure could still return before the September ballot deadline. Ohio's annual sales tax holiday begins Friday and runs through Sunday, offering tax-free purchases on eligible clothing and school supplies. Unlike the expanded tax holidays of the past two years, this year's exemption is limited to select back-to-school items. We'll discuss these stories and more on this week's "Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable." Guests:- Sarah Donaldson, Reporter, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau- Zaria Johnson, Environmental Reporter, Ideastream Public Media- Kabir Bhatia, Senior Arts Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell's office says he's back home after being discharged from a rehabilitation center, Governor Andy Beshear signs an executive order involving data centers, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announces the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is decertifying an organ procurement organization serving Kentucky, and a judge rules on Kentucky's Medicaid work requirements.
The Outer Realm welcomes Special Guest Sherry Malaver Parana Date: August 6th, 2026 EP: 755 DISCUSSION: Tonight, Sherry Malaver Parada will be sharing Tales from her book : Supernatural South: Gothic Tales of Ghosts, Cryptids, & Unexplained Phenomena.. From the whispers of the Spanish moss and hollows, to ghostly figures, legends , Cryptids and other highly strange stories. There is something for everyone so please join us for this amazing conversation Contact for the show - theouterrealmcontact@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/michelledesrochers_ Please support us by Liking, Subscribing, Sharing and Commenting. Thank you All!!! About Sherry: - Sherry Malaver Parada holds an MA in Human Services from the University of Providence and is the Executive Director at a counseling center. Her passions are education, research, folklore, urban legends, and writing. When she's not writing grants for her job or books about her passions, Sherry enjoys painting, drawing, spending time with her pets, and going all out for Halloween. WEBSITE: https://www.sherry-malaver-parada.com/ About The Book: - Beneath live oaks laden with Spanish moss, on humid nights thick with the scent of honeysuckle, creatures and spirits stalk the woods and towns of the American South. From Confederate ghosts to places haunted by history, from mysterious objects with suspected interstellar origins to the putrid stench of a humanoid monster, Sherry Malaver Parada takes you on a tour of the peculiar happenings below the Mason-Dixon Line. Join us on a stroll under the magnolias with these macabre tales that have defined the term "southern gothic." The mystery is thicker than granny's gravy, so sit down for some cryptids, cornbread, and a whole mess of strange. AMAZON: https://a.co/d/06SiXFlP If you enjoy the content on the channel, please support us by commenting, subscribing and sharing : Thank you All !!! A formal disclosure: The opinions and information presented or expressed by guests on The Outer Realm Radio and Beyond The Outer Realm are not necessarily those of the TOR, BTOR Host, Sponsors, or the United Public Radio Network and it's producers. Although we value all of our guests and their perspectives, for Legal Purposes, all content must be listed and deemed as "For Entertainment Purposes" We are always be respectful and courteous to all involved. Thank you, we appreciate you all !!! United Public Radio & UFO Paranormal Radio www.uprntalkradio.com
Child care regulations might mostly be tossed out under new plans from the Trump Administration. This morning, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the proposed policy changes would put more decision-making in the hands of local governments. Speaking of local control and child care, the chair of the Salt Lake County Council is also defending the council's decision earlier this year to end county-run daycare programs. With so much going on with child care right now, Inside Sources talks more about it.
SEND ME A TEXT MESSAGE NOWWhat happens when headlines become more important than the consequences?In this episode of A World Gone Mad, Jeff Alan Wolf examines three stories that all raise the same question: What happens when politics, public health, and party power become driven more by messaging than by substance?Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announces a new Department of Health and Human Services initiative aimed at reducing the overprescribing of psychiatric medications. Jeff explores why conversations about mental health require nuance, why medical guidance should never be reduced to political sound bites, and how public messaging can influence real healthcare decisions.Jeff also examines the explosive Senate hearing where Senator Bernie Moreno confronted Dr. Anthony Fauci with profanity while questioning his role during the COVID-19 pandemic. At what point does congressional oversight stop being about accountability and start becoming political theater designed for viral moments?Finally, Michigan Democrats delivered a surprise in one of the nation's most closely watched Senate primaries as progressive Abdul El-Sayed defeated establishment-backed Congresswoman Haley Stevens. Jeff looks at what the result says about the growing divide inside the Democratic Party and why voters continue reminding political insiders that endorsements don't cast ballots.Three stories. One common thread. Whether it's healthcare, congressional oversight, or political power, public confidence depends on thoughtful leadership—not the loudest headline.Subscribe to A World Gone Mad with Jeff Alan Wolf for independent news commentary that looks beyond today's headlines to the bigger forces shaping American democracy.Looking for more independent news commentary and original articles?Visit my Substack.https://open.substack.com/pub/jeffalanwolfAWorldGoneMadPodcast@gmail.com
In this episode of Stephanie Miller's Happy Hour Podcast, Stephanie dives into the chaos of the current political landscape, where absurdity reigns supreme. Join her as she hilariously dissects the latest antics of Judge Jeanine Pirro, who seems to be in hot water after a dramatic exit from her office. With a mix of sharp commentary and side-splitting banter, Stephanie navigates the fallout from the Trump administration's mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services, which threaten public health initiatives just as we face another pandemic wave. Joined by her witty co-hosts, they explore everything from Trump's latest delusions to the bizarre world of political reparations. Expect a rollercoaster of laughs, insights, and a much-needed sanity check as we confront the ongoing madness of our times. Don't miss this wild ride!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Greg Kelly offers a staunch defense of the Second Amendment while criticizing modern gun control debates and government overreach. He transitions into a harsh critique of Dr. Anthony Fauci, whom he labels a "traitor" based on details from the doctor's personal diaries regarding COVID-19 lockdowns. The broadcast features a heated interview between CNN's Dana Bash and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who serves as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. During the exchange, Kennedy challenges the efficacy of vaccine mandates and argues that constitutional rights were discarded during the pandemic response.
What will it take to make health data available securely when and where patients and clinicians need it? How can government reduce regulatory burdens while protecting privacy, safety, and trust? And what role should federal standards play as artificial intelligence moves more deeply into clinical care? Join host Michael J. Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dr. Thomas Keane, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
For three years, a collaborative effort was made to develop core principles and concepts around how best to support young adults as they prepared to exit the foster care system. That effort culminated in the publishing of Improving Outcomes for Young Adults and the Systems that Serve Them: A Playbook of Best Practices. On this week's episode we were joined by Natalie Clark and Sarah Goad, two of the many people who worked on the playbook. We talked about how people with lived experience drove the discussions that produced playbook, what core ideas they settled on, and what comes next. Natalie Clark is the co-founder and co-executive director of the 1999 Collective. Sarah Goad, is the child welfare manager for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.Reading RoomImproving Outcomes for Young Adults and the Systems that Serve Them: A Playbook of Best Practiceshttps://issuu.com/youthvillages/docs/improving_outcomes_for_young_adults_and_the_system?fr=sNzAzMzg0Njg5NjAThe Playbook for Helping Foster Youth Become Adultshttps://imprintnews.org/opinion/a-playbook-of-best-practices/276160The National Collaborative for Transition-Age Youthhttps://youthvillages.org/collaborativeCreating Extended Foster Care That Works for Allhttps://cdn.intelligencebank.com/us/share/LONz/GLvrW/kMvb1/original/Creating+Extended+Foster+Care+That+Works+for+All
The newly-launched Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger program ("FRESH") will provide a one-time, $400 benefit per household to an estimated 100,000 people in Illinois who were deemed ineligible for SNAP, as of May 1st, due to the federal government expanding required work rules. The money will be distributed through LINK cards, which is how SNAP recipients receive funds to buy groceries. The Illinois Department of Human Services says that since Congress expanded the work rules for the SNAP program,... about 148,000 people in the state have lost federal food assistance.
Hello and welcome to That's So Auburn! I'm Nancy Backus, Mayor of the City of Auburn. One of the things I love most about local government is just how many different ways there are to serve a community. You can help support local businesses, connect residents with important services, design parks, maintain streets, plan for Auburn's future and that barely scratches the surface. This summer, like the ones before it, more than a dozen interns have been discovering that firsthand through Next Step Auburn. Our interns are working in departments across the City, learning from our employees and contributing to real projects that matter to our community. They've brought energy and some great new perspectives to City Hall and beyond, and we are very happy to have them here. I recently had the chance to spend some time with the group and answer their questions about my own path into public service, what it's like to serve as mayor and some of the experiences this work has given me over the years. But today, I get to turn the questions around and hear more about their experiences, with two interns – and their manager – in particular. Joining me are Jillian Orm, who is working with our Economic Development team, and Narina Pogosian, who is working with Human Services. We are also joined by Human Resources Manager Melissa Medisch, who has helped guide Next Step Auburn and support our interns and departments throughout the summer. The program will continue through late August, so this is a perfect time to talk about what Jillian and Narina have worked on, what they've learned and what they hope to accomplish before the summer wraps up!
The Trump administration last week put a new freeze on Medicaid funding for Minnesota, citing concerns over fraud. The nearly $200 million in frozen payments follows previous funding pauses, for a total of nearly $550 million. While federal authorities insist they are protecting taxpayer money, Minnesota state officials argue that the move is punitive and harms vulnerable people who rely on Medicaid programs. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the head of the state's Medicaid programs about how the state department is responding to Medicaid fraud cases and the impact of funding freezes on providers and patients. If you suspect fraud in a program run by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, you can find information on how to report it on the DHS fraud reporting website. The Minnesota Department of Human services also has information on what people can do to find a new provider if their provider has been disenrolled from the Medicaid program. Guest: John Connolly is temporary commissioner and state Medicaid director for the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Before being appointed as interim head of the department in 2026, he was a deputy commissioner.
Senators are questioning Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert for decades, about how he handled the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Atlantic staff writer Katherine J. Wu unpacks the hearing, including Fauci's repeated invocation of the Fifth Amendment.Then, the Department of Homeland Security's top lawyer is publicly condemning district court judges at a time when threats against them are rising. New Jersey District Judge Esther Salas, whose son was killed in a politically-motivated attack in 2020, shares her concerns over violence directed at judges and the dangers of federal officials denouncing them by name.And, the Department of Health and Human Services has recommended medical schools teach 40 hours of nutrition and suggested 71 new competencies. Only some are backed by dieticians. STAT's Lauren Chan explains how schools are navigating new recommendations.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
In January of 2027, people on Medicaid will need to meet a slate of new requirements mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or HR1. Some people on the Oregon Health Plan will need to confirm that they are working, volunteering or attending school every six months. And everyone will need to renew twice a year, rather than once every two years. All this paperwork will be handled by the Oregon Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Oregon Health Authority. Both departments are working hard to make sure they are ready for the January deadline. Vivian Levy, Interim Medicaid Director for the Oregon Health Authority, and Nate Singer, Director of Eligibility Partnership at the Oregon Department of Human Services, join us to explain how Oregonians will be impacted.
The Department of Health and Human Services has a vacancy in its top IT post. Clark Minor is no longer listed as the agency's chief information officer, per a webpage with the health department's IT leadership. Instead, David Hong, the principal deputy CIO, is now identified as the department's acting IT chief. It is unclear when the change to the webpage was made. HHS spokespeople did not immediately respond to FedScoop's requests for comment on the timing of Minor's departure as CIO. Per an agency source granted anonymity to speak more candidly, Minor gave notice to the secretary and is staying on as an advisor to help with the transition. Minor began at HHS as its chief technology officer in the early days of the second Trump administration, and was eventually tapped to replace Jennifer Wendel as CIO upon her departure. He has often been affiliated with the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency organization. Before joining the department, Minor was global head of cloud at Palantir Technologies for over a decade, per his financial disclosure published by ProPublica. The United States and United Arab Emirates are setting up a new bilateral military crew that will hustle to integrate their forces' artificial intelligence capabilities, and deploy joint assets to monitor and enhance regional security. Task Force Talon Synapse is slated to soon be fully operational, U.S. Central Command announced Tuesday. Approximately 20 American and Emirati personnel with expertise in AI, data, cybersecurity and related technology areas will serve on the Abu Dhabi-based team. Centcom spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins told DefenseScoop: “We're working to sign the agreement in the weeks ahead.” The UAE shares maritime borders with Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran. It's considered one of America's key strategic and geopolitical partners in the Middle East. The two nations' increasingly close cooperation over recent decades has been largely anchored by combined defense operations, major arms sales and the technological interoperability of their militaries. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.
Fifteen years ago Congress created the CMS Innovation Center to test new ways of delivering quality care at lower costs. Since then, the Innovation Center has tested dozens of models - some have been successes, and many have not. Director Abe Sutton joins The Other 80 for a candid conversation about the Innovation Center's record, its next chapter, and the big bets ahead. Abe identifies three features of successful models:Mandatory participation to avoid cherry pickingDownside risk to drive provider attention and engagementMinimal gaps between first- and second-generation models to maintain momentum Abe says success should not be measured by how many models work, but by overall return on investment:“If we are taking bold bets, if we're trying to say, all right, let's back the next thing that could really transform care in a country and put the country on a more solid fiscal foundation while improving care and the affordability of care. Well, one thing that really was transformative and did that well may be worth the cost of running 20 things.”Relevant LinksRead the CMS Accountable Communities EvaluationAccess the GAO report evaluating the CMMI model from 2011-2024Read the CMMI's most recent Strategic PlanAbout Our GuestAbe Sutton serves as the Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and Deputy Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Before assuming this role in January of 2025, he co-founded two health service companies; Honest Health, which focuses on enabling primary care physicians, and Evergreen Nephrology, which focuses on enabling nephrologists. Sutton focused on health policy with the federal government from 2017 to 2019, serving at the National Economic Council, Domestic Policy Council and Department of Health and Human Services. In these roles, he coordinated health policy across the federal government, with a focus on the shift to paying-for-value within Medicare, increasing choice and competition in health care markets, and updating the federal government's approach to kidney care.He holds a law degree from Harvard Law School and undergraduate degrees in political science, management, and health care management and policy from the Wharton School and the College at the University of Pennsylvania.SourceConnect With UsFor more information on The Other 80 please visit our website - www.theother80.com. To connect with our team, please email claudia@theother80.com and follow us on twitter @claudiawilliams and LinkedInSubscribe to The Other 80 on YouTube so you never miss our video extras or special video episodes!
Video Version: What does it actually mean when disability advocacy is “level funded”? What are federal appropriations, and why are they such a big deal for disability rights? On this episode of National Disability Radio, Alden Blevins (Communications Manager), Stephanie Flynt McEben (Public Policy Analyst), and Eric Buehlmann (Deputy Director for Public Policy) pull back the curtain on the federal funding process and what it means for the Protection and Advocacy (P&A) network. They discuss the successful FY26 funding fight, why advocacy on Capitol Hill matters, and how everyday people can help. You also get the added bonus of hill-day survival tips, advocacy myths and truths, and a very important debate about coffee and tea. Transcript: Alden Blevins: Hello, and welcome to National Disability Radio. I am here today with two wonderful people who are about to introduce themselves. I am Alden Blevins, Communications Manager here at NDRN. I have my own lived experience with disability and I’m really glad to be here today. What about you guys? Who are you, What do you do? Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah, I’m Stephanie Flynt McEben. I am also one of your hosts of the podcast and NDRN’s Public Policy Analyst. And I have beef with a music streaming app, and I’m not going to talk about which one, but let’s just say that this [00:00:30] music streaming app told me that I was 67 for Christmas this year. And then it had the audacity to… Oh gosh, what was the playlist the other morning that was recommended? It was Old Camping Man Sunday Morning, and it was really weird. Why? I don’t listen to old camping man music unless James Taylor and Chappell Roan and Taylor Swift count as that. But anyway, hope everybody else is having a good day. And hey, if Spotify thinks [00:01:00] you’re old, you’re just… I don’t know. You’re young at heart, anyway. Alden Blevins: I think it clocked my age exactly. And I must say that I listened to a lot of Lady Gaga and Kesha in the last year. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Alden Blevins: And to be fair- Stephanie Flynt…: You were in the 2010’s era. Alden Blevins: They were still the two most popular artists when I was graduating from high school, so they clocked me. They clocked me for sure. Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my gosh. Time to introduce Eric, who is our Deputy Executive [00:01:30] Director for Public Policy. How are you doing? It’s great for you to be here. Eric Buehlmann: Great, it’s wonderful to be here. Evidently, your phone must be listening to my music then in that way [inaudible 00:01:44] Stephanie Flynt…: Maybe so. I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t know how I feel about it. And also, I guess… I don’t know. I guess the Spotify age thing is eclectic because my top artist was Taylor Swift, so I don’t know. Anywho. Eric Buehlmann: So I’m Eric Buehlmann. I’m the Deputy Executive [00:02:00] Director for Public Policy. As Stephanie said, my first choice is not Taylor Swift, but my wife listens to it a lot. So when I’m in the car with her, that’s what I’m listening to. Alden Blevins: This is National Disability Radio. We are the official podcast of the National Disability Rights Network. The National Disability Rights Network works in Washington DC and around the country on behalf of the protection [00:02:30] and advocacy systems, the P&As and the client assistance programs or CAP. We are the nation’s largest provider of legal advocacy services for people with disabilities. The first thing we want to talk about is some big and good news. The P&A network was funded for the rest of FY26. Can we get a hallelujah? Stephanie Flynt…: Yay, woo-hoo! Alden Blevins: The first thing I was just going to ask is, Eric, can you explain to us why it’s a big deal that we were funded and level funded, [00:03:00] and kind of what it took for us to get to this point? Eric Buehlmann: In terms of being able to, why we were able to do this, it’s really our members reaching out to all the representatives, all the senators, making the case, all the good work that the P&As and the CAPs do, and showing all the examples and saying, “Look, if you don’t fund us, this is what’s going to happen, is that person with a disability is not going to be able to get accessible housing or accessible transportation, or the student’s going to be able to go to school or someone’s going to have an assistive [00:03:30] technology device or rampant abuse and neglect are going to be occurring in either the community or institution.” So they made those cases. Congress said, “We agree with you.” And the best we could hope for at this time was at least maintaining our funding and not losing it. Alden Blevins: I think it’s really important to remember that this is not just numbers on a spreadsheet, this has real world impacts on peoples’ lives, the lives of people with disabilities, whether or not they can access enforcement of their civil rights, so [00:04:00] super important. Stephanie Flynt…: Absolutely. Alden Blevins: Just to peel back the curtain and give a little more context for some of our listeners, I just want to go ahead and ask the kind of general question of what are federal appropriations and what does that really mean when we talk about them? Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah, sure. I’m happy to jump in a little bit here. Essentially what federal appropriations are is how Congress allocates funding. And so essentially, there is a long process as Eric kind of talked through a little bit [00:04:30] earlier, in terms of everything that’s been going on with the budget. And so individuals are able to make various appropriations requests to their office. But essentially in a nutshell, it’s essentially just how we get the funds that we need in order to do the work that we do. Alden Blevins: And just kind of practically, what are the steps in an appropriations process or what can people kind of expect out of appropriation season? Oh Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my goodness. Okay, so usually, [00:05:00] of course in the spring, we usually see a big influx of appropriations forms, which, we’re starting to kind of see that now with the House setting their committee deadlines for appropriations, so we’re starting to kind of see an influx of that now. In the Senate, we’ll probably see that a little bit later on as that comes down. But usually the offices will set their personal deadlines, their committee deadlines. And then the appropriations bills, just kind of depending on where they sit, which, all of ours sit on the subcommittee for Labor, [00:05:30] Health and Human Services, Education and related agencies on both the House and the Senate side on the Appropriations Committee. And so there will be a House markup usually around June, as well as a Senate markup in July with the hope that we are able to go ahead and pass the appropriations, the funding that we need for the next fiscal year that starts on October 1st. Alden Blevins: My next one is just why do you guys think advocacy on Capitol Hill matters [00:06:00] during appropriation season? The regular person might not realize how important this is and why. Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah. In my experience, like you said, Alden, a lot of people don’t realize how important and how crucial that kind of advocacy is. But really and truly, that kind of advocacy is what helps us acquire our funding for services, particularly advocacy. So it’s definitely super important to be continuing to follow up with your members. Of course, meeting with your members if you can, [00:06:30] and their staff. Having a steady contact in their offices, things like that. And even just building those relationships in my viewpoint is a good form of advocacy and just making sure that they know who you are, they know what your programs do. They know how it benefits folks in their state/district, et cetera, et cetera, the constituency that they serve. So just making sure that, those points. Eric Buehlmann: And the specific, the biggest requirement is staff [00:07:00] are always seeking information. You’re covering hundreds of programs, multiple issues. They don’t know everything that is going on. They can’t track everything at the same time because they just have information overload. So putting a face with a person, with the story, with the request in front of them makes the biggest difference, because then the staff begins to know who you are. But otherwise, they’re just overloaded with how much material they’re trying to cover and how much stuff they’re trying to do. And if you’re not in front of them, I mean, as [00:07:30] it’s basically said, if you’re not talking to them, you’re on the menu, you’re not the one that’s providing them the information. Stephanie Flynt…: You’re not at the table, you’re on the menu, yeah. Alden Blevins: That makes a lot of sense to me. I was also just going to ask, we’re all so excited and grateful that we were level funded for FY26, but what does level funding really mean? What has that looked like over the last couple years? And having that level or that stagnant funding, what does that mean in terms of the [00:08:00] P&A’s services or the take home impact? Eric Buehlmann: It’s difficult for the P&As because level funding really is in a way, a kind of a cut. Costs are going up continually, healthcare costs are going up. Cost of travel, cost of everything is going up. So level funding ultimately means that they’re able to do less or they may need to shift from doing as much individual case work to more systemic work where you’re helping multiple people by solving one problem. [00:08:30] So level funding is great, especially when you’re facing the potential of cuts. But ultimately if you do that for many, many years, it ultimately means that the P&As and the CAPs will have less staff and able to serve less people. Alden Blevins: Now that we’ve kind of grounded ourselves in a little bit of how this process works, we’re going to talk about the larger policy landscape that we’re all living in right now. What are some of the disability policy concerns we saw come to a head in 2025 and how do we think [00:09:00] that might influence our policy landscape for the rest of 2026? Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my goodness. Do you want to start or do you want me to? Eric Buehlmann: You go first. Stephanie Flynt…: Oh, goodness. I think for me, the biggest thing that comes to mind is the dismantling of the Department of Education. We’ve definitely seen different things that have kind of gone ahead in that regard. And so obviously, there’s a lot of different concerns that are there in those types of things. And so [00:09:30] just continuing to monitor that and what all of that looks like. Of course, I’ll leave a little bit of the healthcare stuff to Eric since that’s more of his specialty, but of course, that is something that I would be remiss not to mention. The various concerns around the Medicaid work requirements that will be taking effect and how that’s going to impact our community. So there are definitely a lot of different policies and a lot of different things that you don’t think about necessarily intersecting with [00:10:00] the disability community, but that are still having impacts on the disability community, particularly those who are members of multiple marginalized communities. Eric Buehlmann: I think building on that for Stephanie is, it’s not just the Medicaid work requirements that are going to hit people. It’s just the massive amounts of cuts to the amount of funding that the states are getting. It’s sort of a partnership between states and the federal government. And if the federal government cuts their share of funding, it means states are going to be cutting their share of funding. And what those cuts [00:10:30] really mean in the long run is that unfortunately, not required services or waiver services are going to be the ones that are going to get hit. If they have to do it, the state will pay for it. If they don’t have to do it and the state’s not willing to put up the money, then those services are going to go away. And in our case, that means home and community-based services for the most part. So not only are a number of people going to get kicked off of Medicaid because they’re having problems following the work requirements or understanding [00:11:00] what the work requirements are and/or having to go through getting re-certified every six months rather than every year, that’s going to mean more people are going to be kicked off. On top of it, you add in all the cuts and the states are going to look around and say, “Well, we’re losing $1 billion,” let’s say, in California, I think is the number they said. “How are we going to make up that gap?” And what they’re going to do is they’re going to say, “Well, these are required and required in the Medicaid program is institutionalized care versus [00:11:30] the ones that we choose to do on our own, which is home and community-based services. Well, if we have to do it, we’ll have to pay for it.” And that means there’s a gap and that gap is going to come out of home and community-based services. Alden Blevins: Yeah. And I think this is kind of a great connection to that home and community-based services piece. I was going to kind of ask, generally speaking, what themes might we be seeing in Congress right now that could affect P&A programs or disability justice as a whole? Eric Buehlmann: I do think one issue [00:12:00] that we’re encountering is more and more members that may not understand disability as well, or what the desires of people with disabilities are, and may listen to not just the person with a disability, they may be listening to their guardians or they may be listening to their parents. Not saying that they don’t know what the person with a disability wants, but if you want to go to the source, the source is the person with a disability. So I think one of the themes, and I think this is why it’s critically important for people with disabilities to be involved in these discussions and [00:12:30] doing this advocacy, is you’ve got to put yourself front and center. And you have to say, “This is what I desire, this is what I want. I want to live in the community, I want to live at home. I want to be able to work in an integrated environment. I don’t want to be paid subminimum wage.” And if they’re not hearing from people with disabilities about that, then that’s a problem. And I think what we’re seeing is sort of a return to sort of the old way of thinking, sort of pre-IDEA, pre-ADA. And people with disabilities should be [00:13:00] off to the side and not at the forefront. And so I think that theme is carrying over in a lot of the ways Congress and the administration are looking at these issues. And I think in terms of other themes, it’s, “We got to save money somewhere.” And their ideas of trying to save money is to cut programs, which actually in the long run, costs more. It costs more to be served in an institution than it costs to live and get served in the community. And [00:13:30] so we’ve really got to be making those cases. I think those are two themes that I’m thinking of. Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah, for sure. And I think that another theme really is just broader justice in the civil rights community, just not completely and fully understanding disability. And so I definitely think that if we’re not careful with everything going on, we definitely could regress back a little bit more into the medical model as opposed to the social model. And I think that some of the demonstration in the legislation [00:14:00] that could potentially be introduced, and of course that we are closely monitoring and making sure that we’re continually keeping an eye out. And of course, we’ll keep folks in the network apprised of those things. But all that to say, I think that’s kind of a demonstrated action when it comes to their understanding of what disability is. Alden Blevins: I love what you guys said, especially about people with disabilities being front and center and telling their own stories and determining, [00:14:30] telling the world what they really want and seek out in their lives. I think that that’s so important for people with disabilities to be in the driver’s seat. For those of you who don’t know, we do have a saying in the disability community that is, “Nothing about us without us.” So kind of speaking about some of the messages that have been happening in the last year, we know that a lot of things have become very polarized throughout the last year, 2025. What opportunities do you guys see for collaboration towards [00:15:00] a better future for people with disabilities? What efforts might be a good target for bipartisan support? Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah. I think for me, definitely always on the hunt for bipartisan opportunity. Because the truth of the matter is that disability, even though it is being portrayed as a partisan issue, it’s not a partisan issue. It’s a nonpartisan issue. And so just kind of keeping that in mind as we continue to do this policy work. I think [00:15:30] what it boils down to really, at least a part of it, is messaging. Because looking at the issues that are in the disability community, because they’re nonpartisan, I think that really, it comes down to it’s not about what you’re saying, it’s how you’re saying, it’s how you’re presenting it. When we’re talking to different offices, we want to emphasize different things that they are most concerned about or that may matter most to their particular constituency or the folks [00:16:00] with disabilities that they may serve. Those would be my things, but I definitely, even though it can be challenging at times, definitely just continuing to keep hope there. Eric Buehlmann: I mean, there’s always a lot of different things. And as Stephanie said, you have to sort of tailor your message around what people are interested in. I mean, things like the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, I think there’s a large number of people, and we’ve seen it in the states, they’re phasing out the subminimum wage, even in some [00:16:30] very conservative states. And so that’s something that’s garnered bipartisan support, that people should be paid at least the minimum wage for the work they’re doing. And that they should be integrated into the employment environment and not just in segregated workshops. We were able to get a Republican co-sponsor for the Keeping All Students Safe Act this year, which would place some kind of federal restrictions on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools and provide money for [00:17:00] training, which is critically important so that the teachers know and the school personnel know what they do when they’re encountering tough situations. There’s a number of bills. I mean, ultimately disability is very bipartisan and it impacts everybody. So usually whether you’re a Republican, a Democrat or Independent, you either have a family member or know someone very close to you that has a disability. So you just got to frame the message right. Alden Blevins: I love that you guys both mentioned messaging and disability [00:17:30] being affecting everyone. That’s part of my core messaging that I always try to put out there, is that disability can come for anybody. You can be a person who has no disabilities one morning and your situation could be different by that evening, depending on what happens to you in your life. And even as you age throughout the lifespan, most of us are going to experience some degree of disability in our lives. So advocating for this [00:18:00] community now when you have the chance to is only going to benefit you when you inevitably become a part of it. I think that’s really important to remember. My kind of last question on this topic is just, what do you think you would want policymakers today to know most about our programs at the P&As? Stephanie Flynt…: I’m going to yield to the executive overseer to start. Eric Buehlmann: I mean, I think our members are hidden gems. I think that’s the biggest [00:18:30] thing, is that most people don’t know what a protection advocacy agency is and/or what it does. As I’ve said many times in my stories is I had met the Executive Director of the Vermont P&A for many times when I worked up on the Hill. Had no idea he worked for the Protection & Advocacy Agency. Talked to him about housing, talked to him about employment, talked to him about all these different things, had no idea that there was a Protection and Advocacy Agency. My second day at the job, I go into an NDRN board meeting and there he is, [00:19:00] sitting there. And I’m like, “Oh, that’s what a Protection & Advocacy Agency… Because I didn’t have a clue. So I think we’re sort of a hidden gem. And I think really, the big thing is that the P&As do a lot of work that other agencies can’t. We have these really strong… I hate saying we, but our members have strong authorities to go in and investigate and monitor for abuse and neglect. If that’s going on, they can go in unannounced. They could do these kinds of investigations that other places can’t. There are [00:19:30] story after story of the police being kept out of certain places or Child Protective Services or Adult Protective Services. But the P&A goes in and is able to sort of expose that abuse and neglect. And that’s really the important thing. And I think people just need to know they exist. But there’s more than just the systemic work. Individually, they are helping people around employment or education or accessible transportation and housing. So I just think there are ultimately hidden gems the more [00:20:00] you delve into it. And as you said, Alden, everyone’s going to become, in my opinion, a member of the disability community at one time in their life or not. Could be permanently, could be temporarily if you break your leg or something like that. And now all of a sudden, you begin to realize that yeah, curb cuts do make a heck of a lot of sense. And yes, automatic doors are very helpful and all those kinds of things. And so we just need to do a better job of sort of explaining the beauty of the work the P&As do and that [00:20:30] it’s not just these giant exposes of abuse and neglect, but there’s all the little individual work that they do that’s extremely important to families and people with disabilities. Alden Blevins: We know in this world that policy is never static. There’s always a lot coming at us, coming at you guys, to kind of figure out and think about how it impacts our community. So my next question is just what do we think might be coming in the landscape of 2026? [00:21:00] It’s hard to speculate, but what should we be looking ahead towards as a community? Eric Buehlmann: Election years are always a weird little duck. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Eric Buehlmann: Partly because Congress does not stay around that much, they like to go home and they like to campaign. Some would say they’re not here to do as much damage. But the administration’s still here, they could do plenty of damage. And so I mean, my expectation is there will not be [00:21:30] a lot that’s going to really occur. They’re going to do what they normally have to do, which is sort of the appropriations and try to get that done as well as they can before the elections. There may be some messaging bills that they try to work on, but I’m not expecting a lot of things to actually get passed and a lot of work to get done. But I think this gets back to the theme issue and that kind of discussion, which is you need to be laying the foundation for the members that are here now and those that are running, especially [00:22:00] in someone in a seat where a member’s retiring or if there’s an open seat. And you need to be making sure the candidates understand the needs and desires and wishes of people with disabilities so that when they do come here, they already have at least some based foundation. So I would really look at ’26 as you got to focus on funding because that’s going to have to happen no matter what. And then making sure that your candidates and then making sure that your members of Congress understand about disabilities so that when [00:22:30] they come back next year, that they’re really almost ready to get going on the issues of importance. Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah. Alden Blevins: So much of what we do is kind of playing a little bit of defense about whatever is going on in the larger policy landscape or the news cycle of that week. But we obviously also have our own policy priorities that we would like to see and that we would like movement on in the next year. So I was just going to ask, what are NDRN’s top three [00:23:00] public policy priorities? Eric Buehlmann: I think if you’re looking in the proactive world, that’s tough in this day and age. I think our policy priorities tend to be much more in the defensive world now, Which is, there’s sort of a 1A and a 1B. You always have the money aspect of it, the appropriations aspect of it, and making sure that our members have hopefully increased funding, but at least level funding. The second, as I talked about before, is our members have amazingly strong authorities [00:23:30] to sort of ferret out abuse, neglect, fraud and waste. And we got to make sure that those aren’t reduced. And so that’s sort of the other big thing. I think structurally, we’re looking at the administration and saying, “We need to make sure that disability is still centered here.” The Department of Education is extremely important for students with disabilities and the amount of work they do. And around employment because the vocational rehabilitation system is there. Health and Human [00:24:00] Services impacts people with disabilities in huge, humongous ways. And so we got to make sure that those structures stay strong, that are providing the training, the technical assistance, the support to all the different programs that support people with disabilities and that they’re strong. Alden Blevins: Yeah, absolutely. I heard education, I heard healthcare. I think these are all bread and butter issues for us and for the community at large. [00:24:30] It can just be tricky to decide when and where to focus your attention. Stephanie Flynt…: Right. And also too, again, going back to that, how do we mesh the priorities in a way that we could potentially try to work with folks and get stuff done? And I think that that’s kind of where that point of collaboration comes in. Figuring out what the priorities of various offices are and see, how can we kind of mesh ours together? Where’s the common ground? What can we work together [00:25:00] on in order to make things better for disabled folks? Eric Buehlmann: And I think as Stephanie said, this is where these relationships come into effect, because you have no idea what’s going to be the big issue of the day. Today it may be X, tomorrow it’s going to be Y. The day after it’s going to be Z, and the staff are just overwhelmed a little bit. But if you have those relationships with them, if something comes up and you need to get in touch with them, you shoot them that email, you send them that note [00:25:30] and they know who you are and they’re willing to look and listen to figure out what you’re saying and where it needs to fit in their priorities. They don’t know who you are, this gets back to the, if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu, then they’re not going to understand why this is a problem because you’ve not laid that foundation. So that’s where those relationships come to be critically important, because you just never know what’s going to pop up. Alden Blevins: My next question is, what are kind of the strategies or things that [00:26:00] everyday folks can do to kind of help or support? There’s a lot of overwhelming information coming at folks on all sides. And it would just be really nice if we could know what would be most helpful in terms of getting that community support to advance our priorities. Stephanie Flynt…: I think for me, the biggest thing that I can think of there is just making sure that your voice is being heard and that you are able to kind of amplify your voice when it comes to these issues. [00:26:30] Making sure that you are reaching out to your senators and representative, things of that nature. Of course, there’s the number for the Capitol switchboard and we can certainly put that in the show notes if that’s helpful to people. But for everyday folks, it’s so interesting. I’ll be on Facebook and I’ll just see different things and it’ll be videos of people just calling their senators and representative. And it sounds scary, it sounds daunting, but I promise you, getting [00:27:00] constituent calls is definitely something that is super, super helpful in terms of advocacy there. So definitely, definitely recommend that. Eric Buehlmann: And as Stephanie said, take advantage of those action alerts, take advantage of those days. If you’re looking at your state and local legislatures, a lot of them have disability days where a number of groups will come together and they’ll go to the Capitol and they’ll talk up their issues. Take advantage of those. In terms of the federal, try to keep track of if they’re going to do a town hall or if they’re going to be having a [00:27:30] get together. And go and have a discussion with the staff and the members that are there. And then when it comes to the campaigns, get involved with the campaigns. Make sure that the candidates have some kind of disability platform as part of their work and what they’re doing. Because ultimately if you’ve, I’m going to say trained, trained them ahead of time, then when they come to Congress or they go into the state legislature, you don’t have to explain as much. You’re not having to spend your time explaining why this issue is important. [00:28:00] You get to jump to, “This is why we need to do this.” So you need to be working at those candidates. You need to be looking at their platforms and you need to be talking to them so that they know that you’re there. Alden Blevins: Absolutely. I think a lot of times people feel overwhelmed with just knowing how or why to help. And I love that you even mentioned people posting their calls onto social media, because I think that’s another avenue that folks can use. Talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors, talk to people that you talk with online about how these issues impact you [00:28:30] and your life personally. I think that hearing those stories from people with disabilities can be really impactful as well. All right, I’ve got some quicker round of questions just to kind of help folks get to know both you guys and your work. Stephanie Flynt…: Yay. Alden Blevins: The first one is just almost similar to two truths and a lie. If you could give me one myth and one truth about federal advocacy, what would you say? Eric Buehlmann: I think it’s sort of the flip side of the same coin. To me, [00:29:00] the myth that’s out there is, “My voice doesn’t matter.” And that, “Whatever I say isn’t going to be heard by the staff, isn’t going to be heard by the member and I’m not going to really have an impact.” It does. Again, as I said early on, staff are constantly looking for those sources of information. They cannot keep track of all the topics they cover, all the bills they have to do, all the differing appropriations they’re following. They can’t. They rely on the constituents to provide them information. And if you are a trusted resource and providing them good information, [00:29:30] you’ve got your in and they’ll understand and they’ll follow what you’re asking them to do as best they can. So I think that’s the myth, is that their voice doesn’t make any difference. To me, the flip side of that is the truth is it does make a difference. And so if you’re not engaged, then you’re automatically losing. The disability community needs to be and put itself front and center. Because as Alden said, people with disabilities are a majority of this country. You will eventually be a member [00:30:00] of the disability community. And so therefore, you need to make sure your voice is heard. And so I think the truth is your voice does matter, the myth is people think that it doesn’t. Stephanie Flynt…: I think for me, a myth that I would say, not as interesting as Eric’s, but I think a myth that I would say, and these are probably for people who are kind of newer or just more on the outskirts of things, is that a bill is going to pass overnight. That’s not how policy works. Usually it takes lots of reiterations of introduction [00:30:30] and stuff, but that’s how it’s designed. And so I think that’s kind of where my truth comes in or where the truth comes in for the myth versus truth, is that policy is designed to take a while, even though it can be frustrating at times, but that’s in order to ensure the appropriate checks and balances and whatnot. So no, you’re not going to enter in and pass a bill in two days. Hate to break into any hopefuls, but you know. Eric Buehlmann: No, that is a huge one. People think that policy moves at a lightning quick pace. [00:31:00] It is a snail. Stephanie Flynt…: Yep. Eric Buehlmann: It takes years. I worked eight years on election reform before we were finally able to get it through Congress. And reauthorizations, I mean, this is one of our smaller ones. The Assistive Technology Act program was last reauthorized in 2004. We finally got the next reauthorization done in 2021. So it moves slowly and you have got… I guess that’s another thing, sort of following up on what you’re saying. The truth is you have to stick to these people. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Eric Buehlmann: You can’t just say, ” [00:31:30] I talked about this once and it’s going to get done this year.” No, you’re probably back next year. Stephanie Flynt…: Not how it works. Eric Buehlmann: And you’re probably back the next Congress and you’re probably back the next Congress. So you will repeatedly have the same conversations. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Especially with staff turnover, too. There are going to be different staff members, folks may move back to the representative or the senator’s districts or their own home districts or change roles, what have you. But there can sometimes be a lot of that [00:32:00] turnover. But that can also be a good thing, too. Eric Buehlmann: But Stephanie, I think we’ve got another good truth and myth. Stephanie Flynt…: Oh, okay. Eric Buehlmann: Which is, the myth in my mind is if I feel like the member’s not supportive or following what I’m talking about and caring about disability, then it’s not worth my time. The truth is staff do a lot of work. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Eric Buehlmann: And you may encounter a member that is not really [00:32:30] interested in disability, doesn’t really care about disability, but the staff is very interested in disability. And so your message can get conveyed from the staff to the member. You may not always get everything exactly the way you wanted from the member, but you’ve moved him in a direction, or her, in a direction that they weren’t going to go without the staff. Stephanie Flynt…: Exactly, exactly. Staff definitely have a lot of influence when it comes to different member priorities and things like that, that might not usually be on their [00:33:00] radar, such as disability. Alden Blevins: Actually, I caught Eric saying something yesterday that I thought was so impactful. Somebody was expressing disappointment that their meeting was with a baby staffer. And I heard Eric say, “That baby staffer could be in charge in 10 years.” Stephanie Flynt…: I was going to say, like a Chief of Staff in five years- Alden Blevins: Yeah, you never know what inroads you’re making when you get into those rooms. And you should take the chance once you’re in that room, to make the case for people with disabilities. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Alden Blevins: This next one, I’m [00:33:30] hearing a lot of themes of perseverance, maybe having to stay on people, having to return year-to-year. This is just a silly question, but what is your Hill day fuel of choice? Is it coffee, is it tea? What keeps you going? Stephanie Flynt…: I think that mine is probably either, probably Celsius. And then I don’t know if y’all have ever had the Mary’s Gone Crackers, but I like to have little hummus things with me. And so I’ll do the Mary’s Gone Crackers with some hummus on the Hill. And so that’s really good to eat between [00:34:00] meetings and stuff, but they’re really good. They’re quinoa seed crackers, gluten-free, garlicky, basil. I don’t know, they’re really good, especially with hummus. So I guess for me, that’s my food and caffeine. Eric Buehlmann: And Stephanie no doubt, could tell any of everybody what mine is. Stephanie Flynt…: Anything gluten-free/unsweetened iced tea from McDonald’s. Eric Buehlmann: Yep, bingo. I’ve never had coffee in my life. Alden Blevins: Wow. Eric Buehlmann: Yeah, I’ve never had coffee in my life. Stephanie Flynt…: I thought you would at least- Eric Buehlmann: Nope, never had coffee in my life. Alden Blevins: Just not even curious? Stephanie Flynt…: Not a sip? Eric Buehlmann: I’m curious, [00:34:30] but I’ve never had it. I’ve now reached the age of, “Why should I now start?” Alden Blevins: This is so fair, because once you start, it’s hard to stop. Stephanie Flynt…: You’re not going to be able stop. Alden Blevins: It’s real hard to stop. Stephanie Flynt…: Especially when you find a roast that you really like. Eric Buehlmann: I’m a caffeine addict, don’t get me wrong. For many years it was Dr. Pepper, Diet Coke. Stephanie Flynt…: Diet Coke. Eric Buehlmann: Doctor said, “No.” Now I’m an unsweetened tea… Well, I’m not going to say always unsweetened tea, but it’s always usually some form of iced tea. Alden Blevins: [00:35:00] Yeah. And sometimes you sneak in the sweet tea as a treat, I assume? Eric Buehlmann: No, not really. I’m not a big fan of sweet tea. I find it too sweet. Alden Blevins: Wow. Stephanie Flynt…: You have to have the right sweet tea, though. Eric Buehlmann: Yeah, I’m not from the South. Stephanie Flynt…: I was going to say- Eric Buehlmann: I’m in Virginia, but I’m not the South. Stephanie Flynt…: They don’t make good sweet tea up in the DMV if you want good sweet. Actually, they just started carrying Milo’s at my local grocery store, so that’s what I recommend. Eric Buehlmann: I’ve seen Milos. Milos is good? Stephanie Flynt…: I love Milos, yes. Eric Buehlmann: Okay, I’ll have to get that one. Stephanie Flynt…: So good, yeah. I mean, it’s sweet, but it’s not too sweet. Anyway. Eric Buehlmann: See, I find it too sweet. I’ll [00:35:30] mix it with unsweetened iced tea at times. I grew my tea at home. And what I’ll do is I’ll pour a little lemon iced tea in and sort of mix it, but I find it too sweet. But yeah, I’ve never had coffee in my life. Coffee ice cream once or twice, but never- Stephanie Flynt…: Okay, but that’s really good. Eric Buehlmann: Nah, no. Stephanie Flynt…: No? Eric Buehlmann: No. Coffee smells great. I love the smell of coffee, but I’m not going to try it now if I can avoid it. Alden Blevins: Good for you. My next one [00:36:00] is just, what is your go-to story when speaking with folks on The Hill? Do you have a P&A story that you feel like you come back to? Do you speak about issues more generally or do you have a go-to story in your back pocket? Eric Buehlmann: Well, I mean, I think the one I always fall back on is the Kaufman House in Kansas. There was a place in Kansas. I think if you just Google Kaufman House in Kansas, you’ll find it. Basically, this is one of those examples where the P&A was the only one that got in. These [00:36:30] were a husband and wife that were running a, I guess I’d call it a group home, that were doing unspeakably horrible abuse and neglect of people with mental illness. And the state had been called in a number of times, the local people had been called in a number of times, and they just shut the door on them. The P&A went in and exposed the whole thing, basically showing what was going on there. They got convicted of a number of crimes, they were sent away to jail. To me, that’s the example that I will go [00:37:00] to a lot, is without the P&A, these people would’ve been just still going through abuse and neglect. I mean, I think the P&As are creating stories every single day, honestly. The number of reports that come out from P&As, we just got one from the Maryland… Maryland, wrong M. Minnesota P&A, about the use of seclusion with some amazing pictures of the various seclusion rooms in Minnesota that they had come upon. I think they’re occurring every single day and all these reports that are coming out. [00:37:30] Our members are in all sorts of facilities, just exposing abuse and neglect. Unfortunately, some of the stuff we really can’t talk about is they’re exposing the waste, fraud and abuse that’s occurring at times in the representative payee program because people aren’t using the benefits to the benefit of people with disabilities, to the beneficiaries. But the one, if you were going to ask me the one, it would be the Kaufman House. And Nancy Jensen testified [00:38:00] in front of Congress on the importance of the P&A program. She’s written some books on the issues that arose, but that would be the one go-to. Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah. I think for me personally, it really just varies from office to office and various priorities. I will say that one thing I do try to do before meeting with particular offices is I try to reach out to the P&A, just to see if there are any particular stories or any particular things that I should highlight going [00:38:30] on in their state for their senators or representative, or even if there’s anything specific in their district. Eric brought up the report that Minnesota did on restraint and seclusion. And one thing that staffers love is data. So if you’re able to kind of bring in a visual, say like the report or even send in a report of what’s been going on along with a story, along with data, that’s really going to get you far. And so those are things that I really [00:39:00] try to bring, just tangible stuff that they can take back to their higher ups in order to try to get different things up the chain, in order for us to get the support that we’re wanting to get from that particular office, whether the goal is co-sponsoring a particular bill or sponsoring something, or whether the goal is just general support or flagging something. Just making sure that you have those materials that folks can take back. Alden Blevins: Yeah, absolutely. And I [00:39:30] think what Eric said about the network generating stories all of the time, every day. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Alden Blevins: Where I sit, working in communications, is I try to share a story. At least every week, there’s a new, new story coming out about something that a P&A is doing, whether it be work related to abuse and neglect, whether it be work related to some states, they’re already talking about the Medicaid waiver programs and how they can apply some systemic advocacy to ensure that those are protected through the changes [00:40:00] coming in the Medicaid landscape. There’s just always something to be aware of that’s going on. And I think that really harnessing all of those stories together presents a really strong case for what our network is able to do. Stephanie Flynt…: Absolutely. Alden Blevins: Yeah. I’ve been told that maybe you’ll have a Hill day or appropriations pun and/or joke? Stephanie Flynt…: I always have a joke, you know this. Alden Blevins: Okay, so? Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my goodness. Alden Blevins: Let’s get a drum roll. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. All right, [00:40:30] so it’s more of a question for Eric. Eric Buehlmann: Oh, no. Stephanie Flynt…: Are you ready? Eric Buehlmann: No, because we did not test this out beforehand. Stephanie Flynt…: Sorry, okay. How would you describe the appropriations process? Eric Buehlmann: How? Stephanie Flynt…: It’s fund. Alden Blevins: So much fun-d. Stephanie Flynt…: So much fun. Alden Blevins: So much fund. Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my goodness. Alden Blevins: Incredible. Stephanie Flynt…: But yes, that is my joke of the month. I’ll be here next month, assuming that I’m not kicked off the podcast [00:41:00] yet. Sorry, Michelle, you weren’t here for the joke, but I’m sure you’re actually laughing even though you pretend you don’t like them. Alden Blevins: Michelle is groaning from afar. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Alden Blevins: Yes. Eric Buehlmann: Stephanie’s puns get us through the day. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes, they do. See, I knew there was a… Yep, there we go. Alden Blevins: You got to laugh, you got to laugh. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes, exactly. Laughing is the best form of self-care when it comes to this kind of work, that’s for sure. Alden Blevins: Absolutely. It’s important to remember that congressional budgets and federal decision [00:41:30] making say a lot about whose rights are protected and whose are not, what voices are included, what voices are not. And I’m very grateful that I got the chance today to sit down with two of my amazing coworkers and hear more of their voices, get to share more about the amazing work that they do for our larger community. This has been National Disability Radio, where we highlight issues that impact people with disabilities. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and continue the [00:42:00] conversation at ndrn.org or anywhere you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening. Until next time, let’s keep working together to create a world where people with disabilities can thrive. Stephanie Flynt…: Bye.
Grief is one of the most universal yet isolating experiences we endure—and psychedelics may offer a path through it. This Salon explores how substances like psilocybin, MDMA, and 5-MeO-DMT are being used to support those navigating loss, whether from death, identity shifts, or life transitions. This session sheds light on how altered states can help us reconnect to love, soften the sharp edges of sorrow, and reorient to a life forever changed. Attendees will gain insight into the science and integration practices that support emotional processing and meaning-making in the context of grief. Dr. Sunil Aggarwal is a physician in hospice and palliative medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and a medical geographer. Dr. Aggarwal's primary clinical work is as an Integrative Pain, Palliative Care, and Rehabilitation Physician in private practice at the AIMS Institute in Seattle, Washington, and as an on-call Palliative and Hospice Physician within a Puget Sound–based healthcare system. He has a petition to reschedule psilocybin that is currently under review at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Aggarwal's medical geography scholarship focuses on the geographies of access, delivery, and development of cannabinologic and psychedelic integrative medicine—particularly as these relate to pain management, hospice and palliative medicine, and rehabilitation services. After two decades in journalism and content direction, Laura Sullivan Cassidy (she/her) used the early pandemic years to begin building a new career serving communities in grief and loss. She's trained as a grief work facilitator, creative coach, and death doula, and is employed at Recompose, the Seattle-based green funeral home known for pioneering the process of human composting. Her role at Recompose involves outreach, community, and client work—specifically with communities for whom a death is approaching, either via terminal diagnosis or hospice care. Laura writes a Substack called Griever's Ball and offers creative expression, listening groups, and death awareness workshops. — Psychedelic Salon: Cultivating Conscious Connections Join Seattle-based psychedelics educator and podcast host April Pride in a dynamic series co-produced with Town Hall Seattle. Psychedelic Salon explores the transformative potential of psychedelic medicines through engaging conversations, expert panels, and interactive community discussions. Rooted in scientific evidence, each event highlights unique themes—including grief, seniors, menopause, and more—emphasizing their role in mental health, spiritual growth, and personal optimization. Designed to be inclusive and insightful, this series invites attendees of all backgrounds to discover how psychedelics can foster profound connections, healing, and well-being. About April Pride April Pride is a Seattle-based creative entrepreneur and harm reduction advocate with over two decades of experience building brands at the intersection of lifestyle, cannabis, psychedelics, and women's health. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, and The Guardian. April is the founder of SetSet, the world's first clinician-approved woman-focused platform for safe, accessible psychedelic integration. To learn more, follow April on Substack – aprilpride.substack.com
Photo by Hakan Nural on Unsplash The misinformation and disinformation about vaccines has been on the rise, particularly since the COVID pandemic and, more recently, since Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. assumed the position of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump Administration. KFF is a nonprofit health policy research, polling and news organization that recently conducted a national poll to look at whether the public has embraced myths about vaccines that are based on this misinformation. HealthCetera producer and host Diana J. Mason, PhD, RN, discusses the poll and its findings with Alex Montero, PhD, Senior Survey Analyst for Public Opinion and Survey Research at KFF. This interview first aired on HealthCetera in the Catskills on WIOX radio on July 15, 2026. The post Misinformation & Disinformation About Vaccines appeared first on HealthCetera.
Reflections from host Sarah Olivieri ... The Trap of Being the Most Capable Person in the Room There is a particular kind of nonprofit leader who is very good at almost everything. They can build the budget. They can write the grant. They can run the intake, fix the database, cover the front desk, and close the books when the bookkeeper leaves. When something breaks, they already know how to fix it, so they do. This is where nonprofit CEO leadership capacity quietly becomes the ceiling on the entire organization. When the most capable person keeps doing the work, the organization can only grow as large as that one person's hours. Everything routes through them. Every decision waits for them. And because they are competent, nobody notices the bottleneck until the organization is straining against it. This looks like a time management problem or a delegation problem, when in fact it's a leadership design problem. Let's talk about how to fix it. A Leader Who Has Made the Shift A version of this comes up almost every time I talk with a leader who is running a good organization and running themselves into the ground to do it. I had a conversation recently with Janelle Miller Moravek, who has led a growing mental health organization since 2009. She has been the fundraiser, the strategist, the operator, and the person who learned every function the hard way. And she has arrived somewhere most leaders need to go, but don't even realize yet. She knows how much to know, and she knows when to take her hands off. Know Enough to Be Dangerous There is a level of knowledge every CEO needs about every function of their organization. Not enough to run it. Enough to tell whether it is being run well. If you know nothing about your finances, you cannot tell a good accountant from a bad one. If you know nothing about your fundraising, you cannot tell whether your development director is stuck or coasting. You do not need to do the work. You need to know enough to provide real oversight. This is the balance that trips people up. Leaders tend to land at one of two extremes. Either they know a function so well that they cannot stop doing it, or they know it so poorly that they cannot supervise it. Neither one is oversight. Oversight lives in the middle, where you know enough to be dangerous and then let go of the doing. The truth is, most leaders overshoot toward doing because doing feels productive and supervising feels like nothing. Sitting in a meeting you do not strictly need to attend, reading a book, walking through the building, thinking about what is coming in eighteen months. None of that feels like work. All of it is the work. The Most Important Job Nobody Schedules The single most valuable thing a CEO can do is figure out what is around the corner that nobody else sees yet. When you plan for that, you are ahead of everyone. When you are ahead, your organization makes a bigger impact with less scramble. I call it brain time. The problem is that brain time never makes it onto the calendar, because everything else is louder. The payroll approval, the bank call that only the CEO is allowed to make, the fire that flared up this morning. Those tasks are real, and someone has to clear them so the rest of the team can move. But they are not the job. They are the price of admission to the job. When leaders let the loud, clearable tasks crowd out the quiet, high-value thinking, the organization loses its ability to see around corners. It becomes reactive. It handles what is in front of it and gets blindsided by what was predictable all along. Leadership You Can Buy Before You Can Afford It Here is the move that changes the math for organizations in the one-to-five-million range. You can bring in leadership without adding it to your management structure. When you outsource a function to a strong fractional or contracted firm, whether that is finance, HR, IT, or billing, you are not just buying task execution. You are buying leadership. A good outsourced finance team does not wait for you to direct them. They lead you. They tell you what you are missing. They bring a level of expertise you could never afford to hire full-time and could never provide yourself. This is what lets a leadership team stay lean. Janelle runs a nearly three-million-dollar organization with a management structure of two people, herself and a deputy director, because the CFO brain, the HR strategy, the billing compliance, and the fundraising all live with expert partners outside the building. The leadership is baked in. The payroll taxes, the turnover, the recruiting, the risk of getting a specialized compliance task wrong, all of that belongs to someone whose actual job it is. One line from that conversation has stayed with me: "It really hampered our growth before we outsourced." What I appreciate about this framing is that it names the mechanism. When a leader hoards functions they are not expert in, the organization does not just carry the cost of their learning curve. It carries the cost of everything that leader could have been doing instead. The growth that never happens is the most expensive line item, and it never shows up on any budget. Delegating Outcomes, Not Just Tasks There is a difference between handing someone a task and handing someone a result. Task delegation is "process this batch of invoices." Outcome delegation is "own our financial health and tell me when something is off." Most leaders get comfortable with the first and never make it to the second. So they stay busy checking work instead of free to lead. This is the shift from managing tasks to distributing outcomes and decisions across the organization. The shift usually becomes possible when the right person is in the right seat. And the right person is almost never the one with the most polished resume. It is the one with learning agility and curiosity, the one who can grow into responsibility you have not even defined yet. Hire for that, and you can eventually hand over not just the doing but the deciding. That is what frees a visionary leader to actually be one. I say this to clients constantly, and I had to learn it on myself first. For years my rule was that just because I can do something does not mean I should. I am a highly capable person. If I keep doing everything I am capable of, I will hold my own organization back, and I will not be a very happy human either. The capability is not the question. The choice about where to point it is. What Changes When You Stop Being the Doer When a leader stops being the doer, the whole organization stops waiting on one person. Decisions get made closer to the work. The team develops instead of stalling. And the leader finally has room for the thinking that only they can do. The heaviness that comes from being the answer to every question starts to lift. The work has not disappeared. It is finally sitting where it belongs. The organization stops being an extension of one person's stamina and starts being a system that can carry its own weight. That is what staying power actually looks like. It is not a heroic leader holding everything together. It is a structure built so that no single person has to. The Marathon This is not about doing less work. It is about doing the work that only you can do. Nonprofits can grow past the founder's capacity. They can build leadership they could not otherwise afford. They can run without one person anchoring every decision. Not by that person working harder. By building an organization that no longer needs them to. About the Guest Janelle Miller Moravek is a nonprofit leader & mental health advocate. She has led Youth & Family Counseling as Executive Director since 2009, driving its growth and impact across Lake County, Illinois. With a deep commitment to increasing access to mental health services, she oversees strategy, programming, and operations while fostering strong partnerships throughout the community. Janelle also plays a key leadership role in the region, serving on the board of the Lake County Alliance for Human Services and co-chairing the Lake County Behavioral Health Action Team. Her prior experience includes development roles at Carmel Catholic High School and Barat College. She holds a BA in French Studies from Wesleyan University and lives in Libertyville with her husband and three children. Connect with Janelle: Website: CounselingForAll.org/ LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/janelle-miller-moravek-903a815b/ Janelle's profile: accessspeakers.biz/speaker/janelle-miller-moravek-nonprofit-leader-mental-health-advocate/ Be sure to subscribe to Inspired Nonprofit Leadership so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated! Let us know the topics or questions you would like to hear about in a future episode. You can do that and follow us on LinkedIn.
In this episode, Jim Garrity explains the procedure for deposing current or former federal government employees where the federal government isn't a party to your litigation. These are commonly known as 'Touhy witnesses." And if they're important to your case, you'd better plan for their deposition very carefully. Garrity also discusses the importance of a strong backup plan, because many such deposition requests are denied by the employing agency. Important stuff to know! And great resources in the show notes, below.SHOW NOTESBecton Dickinson and Company, et al. v. United States Department of Health and Human Services et al., No. CV-26-02379-PHX-KML, 2026 WL 2042420, --- F. Supp. 3d --- (D. Ariz. July 13, 2026) (denying request for declaratory and injunctive relief against U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in APA action to force HHS to produce certain federally-employed treating physicians for deposition)Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief [CM/ECF Doc. 1] Becton Dickinson and Company, et al. v. United States Department of Health and Human Services et al., CM/ECF Doc. 1, No. CV-26-02379-PHX-KML, (D. Ariz. filed April 6, 2026) (alleging claim for violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, on the grounds of alleged arbitrary and capricious agency action, where federal agency refused to produce subpoenaed witnesses for deposition)Motion for Preliminary Injunction [CM/ECF 12] in Support of Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief, Becton Dickinson and Company, et al. v. United States Department of Health and Human Services et al., No. CV-26-02379-PHX-KML, (D. Ariz. July 13, 2026) (motion seeking order setting aside HHS' denial of Plaintiffs' Touhy request as arbitrary, capricious, contrary to law, and in excess of delegated authority; requiring Defendants to authorize the depositions of Dr. Matthew Cusick and Dr. John Young within fourteen days, subject to reasonable limitations, including remote appearance, a limited duration, government counsel's attendance, and restriction to nonprivileged factual testimony concerning Dr. Cusick and Dr. Young's firsthand knowledge of Ms. Vincent's care, including any device warnings and information available to Dr. Cusick; alternatively, remanding the matter to Defendants with instructions to reconsider Plaintiffs' narrowed request within seven days under the governing regulation and IHS Delegation Memo and to provide a reasoned written decision addressing Plaintiffs' need, unavailability, proposed limitations, and any specific disruption to IHS duties; ordering expedited production of the administrative record and expedited briefing as necessary to resolve this motion before the state-court trial; and granting such other relief as the Court deems just and proper)Response in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction [CM/ECF Doc. 1], Becton Dickinson and Company, et al. v. United States Department of Health and Human Services et al., No. CV-26-02379-PHX-KML, (D. Ariz. Filed June 24, 2026)Exxon Shipping Co. v. U.S. Dep't of Interior, 34 F.3d 774 (9th Cir. 1994) (treating request for depositions of current or former federal employees like any other discovery request)https://oig.ssa.gov/touhy-requests/ (page for Touhy requests to Social Security Administration)https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-2 (Health & Human Services Touhy Regulations)28 C.F.R. § 16.21 (Department of Justice's Touhy regulations)Covington, Ben, Closing The Touhy Gap: The APA, The FRCP, And Nonparty Discovery Against Federal Administrative Agencies, https://columbialawreview.org/content/closing-the-touhy-gap-the-apa-the-frcp-and-nonparty-discovery-against-federal-administrative-agencies/ (noting an apparent and significant difference in Touhy request successes depending on where the action was filed, not on the merits of the request)
What if the biggest threats to your health aren't diseases in the traditional sense—but invisible patterns of disconnection that quietly shape every aspect of your life? In this thought-provoking solo episode, Darin explores what he calls the Five Silent Diseases: numbness, disconnection, distraction, comparison, and forgetting who you truly are. Drawing on research surrounding loneliness, chronic disease, ultra-processed foods, nutrient depletion, social media, and nervous system health, he reveals how modern systems have become remarkably efficient at keeping us busy, distracted, and disconnected from ourselves. More importantly, Darin offers a roadmap back—through real food, meaningful relationships, intentional stillness, honest self-reflection, and daily practices that reconnect us to purpose. This isn't about adding more information to your life. It's about remembering what you've always known and finally acting on it. You weren't born to simply manage your life—you were born to truly live it. What You'll Learn Why loneliness has become one of today's greatest public health challenges The connection between ultra-processed food and chronic disease How nutrient-depleted soils affect the quality of our food Why social media is reshaping our nervous systems The Five Silent Diseases that keep us disconnected from ourselves How boredom can unlock creativity and emotional clarity Why real human connection is more important than digital connection The difference between information and true self-awareness Practical breathing and mindfulness techniques to reconnect with yourself Why asking better questions changes your life How one real meal and one real conversation can transform your week Why your purpose begins with slowing down enough to hear yourself again Chapters 00:00:00 – Welcome to SuperLife 00:00:33 – Sponsor: Fatty15 00:04:13 – A startling truth about loneliness 00:05:18 – Why we're more connected—and more isolated—than ever 00:05:49 – We're managing life instead of living it 00:06:25 – Ultra-processed food and the chronic disease epidemic 00:07:20 – Nutrient-depleted soil and declining food quality 00:08:04 – Social media, anxiety, and the next generation 00:08:50 – The systems keeping us disconnected 00:09:34 – Introducing the Five Silent Diseases 00:09:56 – Silent Disease #1: Numbness 00:10:25 – Silent Disease #2: Disconnection 00:10:56 – Silent Disease #3: Distraction 00:11:27 – Silent Disease #4: Comparison 00:11:58 – Silent Disease #5: Forgetting who you are 00:12:33 – Responsibility creates power 00:12:53 – Sponsor: Shakeology 00:14:44 – A guided breathing and mindfulness practice 00:15:25 – The one truth you've been avoiding 00:15:46 – "What do you know that you're pretending not to know?" 00:16:09 – Quieting the noise to hear yourself 00:16:49 – Four practical actions to transform your life 00:16:57 – Eat one real, whole-food meal today 00:17:16 – Have one meaningful conversation this week 00:17:39 – Disconnect from your phone and embrace boredom 00:18:03 – Write down the truth you've been avoiding 00:18:23 – Take one step toward the life you actually want 00:18:56 – Why your dreams deserve your attention 00:19:29 – Presence over productivity 00:19:38 – Busy isn't the same as living 00:20:01 – One real meal. One real conversation. One honest life. 00:20:20 – Stop managing your life and start living it 00:20:33 – Final thoughts and closing message Thank You to Our Sponsors Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/DARIN and using code DARIN at checkout. Shakeology: Get 15% off with code DARINO1BODI at Shakeology.com. Join the SuperLife Community Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions: Weekly voice notes Ingredient deep dives Wellness challenges Energy + consciousness tools Community accountability Extended episodes Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien Find More from Darin Olien: Instagram: @darinolien Podcast: SuperLife Podcast Website: superlife.com Book: Fatal Conveniences New Show: Roadmap to Happiness Key Takeaway "The greatest threat to your health isn't simply what you eat or how much you exercise—it's how disconnected you've become from yourself. Modern life constantly pulls your attention outward, leaving little room to notice what your body, your heart, and your intuition have been trying to tell you all along. Healing begins when you slow down enough to listen. One real meal. One meaningful conversation. One moment of stillness. One honest decision. Those small acts don't just change your day—they change the trajectory of your life." Bibliography/Sources: Loneliness and Health Risk Associated Press. (2025, January). Surgeon general on loneliness epidemic and his own struggles. WBUR . https://www.wbur.org/npr/1198909477/surgeon-general-loneliness-epidemic-vivek-murthy Office of the Surgeon General. (2023). Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General's advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Social connection . https://www.hhs.gov/surgeon-general/priorities/connection/index.html Ultra-Processed Food and Chronic Disease Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, August). How much ultra-processed food are people eating in the United States? (NCHS Data Brief No. 536) . https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db536.htm CNN. (2025, August). More than half of the calories US kids and adults consume are from ultraprocessed foods . https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/21/health/ultraprocessed-foods-diet/index.html National Public Radio. (2025, August). Ultra-processed food consumption is down a bit, but still more than 50% of U.S. diet . https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/08/21/nx-s1-5083656/ultraprocessed-food-us-diet-cdc-children Chronic Disease Prevalence Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Trends in multiple chronic conditions among US adults, by life stage, 2013–2023. Preventing Chronic Disease . https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2024/24_0130.htm Soil and Nutrient Decline in Food An alarming decline in the nutritional quality of foods: The biggest challenge for future generations' health. (2022). PubMed Central . https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8801175/ Kresser, C. (n.d.). Nutrient-depleted soil: What it means for our food . https://chriskresser.com/depletion-of-soil-and-what-can-be-done/ Screen Time, Social Media, and Mental Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Associations between screen time use and health outcomes among US teenagers. Preventing Chronic Disease . https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2024/24_0047.htm SingleCare. (2026). Social media and mental health statistics 2026 . https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/social-media-and-mental-health-statistics/
In this episode of John Solomon Reports, host John Solomon pays tribute to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, reflecting on his unique ability to bridge political divides and his commitment to national security. As flags fly at half-staff, Solomon shares personal anecdotes and highlights Graham's dedication to the Save America Act, underscoring the significant loss felt across the political spectrum.The show kicks off with an insightful conversation with Congresswoman Harriet Hageman from Wyoming, who is poised to be the next Republican senator from her state. Hageman discusses her latest legislative efforts, including her views on the escalating tensions with Iran and the implications of the recent missile strikes.Next, Solomon welcomes Gus Chiarello, the Chief Financial Integrity Officer for the Department of Health and Human Services. Chiarella reveals groundbreaking changes in the fight against Medicare and Medicaid fraud, detailing how proactive measures are being implemented to stop fraudulent payments before they occur—a significant shift in government strategy that promises to save taxpayers billions.Finally, Dr. Chad Walding returns for the weekly health news update, offering listeners the latest insights into pressing health issues.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Kalshi's new plan to prevent political campaign staffers from betting on their own campaigns is hardly foolproof. The disability community has concerns about moving special education oversight from the Education Department to the Department of Health and Human Services. Influencers are questioning the guidance to throw away leftover breast milk in a bottle after two hours.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Have you ever forgotten a phone number, birthday, or why you walked into a room because you knew your phone would remember it for you? Many people joke about "digital dementia." While it isn't a real medical diagnosis, researchers are becoming increasingly concerned that our growing dependence on technology may be changing how we remember, think, and solve problems. https://www.neurocenternj.com/blog/digital-dementia-how-screens-and-digital-devices-impact-memory/ Most of us pay attention to our physical health and, increasingly, our mental health. But what about our social health? Research suggests the quality of your relationships may have a profound impact on your happiness, resilience, and even how long you live. Yet many people today have fewer close connections than ever before. Kasley Killam explains why social health matters so much and how to build stronger, more meaningful relationships. She has advised organizations including Google, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the World Economic Forum, and is author of The Art and Science of Connection: Why Our Social Health Is the Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier (https://amzn.to/4cynFRi). Where do great ideas come from? Is imagination something you're born with, or can you actually develop it? According to Albert Read, imagination is more like a muscle than a mysterious gift—it grows stronger the more you understand and use it. In this conversation, he explains how creativity works, why ideas sometimes seem to appear out of nowhere, and how anyone can become more imaginative. Albert is Managing Director of Condé Nast Britain and author of The Imagination Muscle: Where Good Ideas Come From (https://amzn.to/4cw9xrw). Sending flowers to someone who is sick or recovering from surgery seems like a thoughtful gesture. But can flowers actually help someone heal? Surprisingly, research suggests they may do more than brighten a room—they may have measurable effects on mood, stress, and recovery. https://www.floweraura.com/blog/healing-power-get-well-soon-flowers-scientific-perspective PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS WAYFAIR: Ready to upgrade your home for way less? Head to https://Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less. RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that's actually covered by insurance. Visit https://Rula.com/sysk to get started. QUINCE: Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to https://Quince.com/sysk for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at https://Shopify.com/sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Supreme Court just wrapped the term with a blitz of extremely consequential decisions, and the smoke hasn't cleared yet. (In fact, it's looming like a dark storm cloud over our Fourth of July and America 250th festivities…) In this week's episode, cohosts Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern focus on two of the term's bleakest legacies: first, the court's catastrophically bad use of history and second, the demise of independent agencies. They discuss the court's 6–3 decision in Trump v. Slaughter, which was rooted in shoddy originalism and reckless disregard for how an accountable democratic government actually functions. Meanwhile, the dissenters in Trump v. Barbara would have weaponized bogus history to end birthright citizenship for millions. To unpack this, Dahlia and Mark sit down with two law professors: Sam Bagenstos of the University of Michigan and a former general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services, and Jed Shugerman of Boston University (whom Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson cited this week). They deconstruct the myriad ways in which the high court ultimately embarrassed itself, history, and truth, with decisions that will affect millions of Americans for years to come.Slate Plus members! Don't miss the Amicus Plus Breakfast Table on Friday, July 10th at noon EDT. Mark Joseph Stern and Dahlia Lithwick will be in conversation with Professors Steve Vladeck, Sherrilyn Ifill, and Niko Bowie. Our Pluskateers can sign up to be in the live, online audience for this special end-of-term conversation. Go to slate.com/breakfasttable to sign up for online access. (Psst: Submit your questions now to amicus@slate.com)This is part of Opinionpalooza, Slate's coverage of the major decisions from the Supreme Court. The best way to support our work is by joining Slate Plus. (If you are already a member, consider a donation or merch!)Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Plus: how trauma rewires the brain, why connection is the most powerful regulator, and small practices that actually work. Dr. Bruce Perry is the Principal of the Neurosequential Network and a Professor at the School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia. His work on the impact of abuse, neglect and trauma on development has informed clinical practice, programs and policy across the world. Dr. Perry's most recent book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, has been translated into 26 languages and has been on the New York Times Bestseller list for over 100 weeks after becoming #1 on the list in April of 2021. In this episode we talk about: EMDR and the importance of moving your body The hardest type of trauma to deal with The perks of getting in touch with the fact that, to quote Dr. Perry, everyone is wandering around in a fucking fog...and how this perspective helps us become more generous in our lives.. Both toward ourselves and others. How it's never too late to heal trauma Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Additional Resources: The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered Join Dan, Sebene Selassie, and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18. Grab your in-person spot here, or sign up to livestream here! To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris