Podcasts about kids count data book

According to the "2025 Kids Count Data Book", Utah ranks number four in child well-being. But this comes with some major caveats. Lois Collins with the Deseret News shares where Utah is thriving as well as areas that need to be improved in the state.   

At the end of June, LSU president William Tate IV will step down and become president of Rutgers University in New Jersey. While LSU looks for a new leader, Matt Lee, vice president for agriculture, will serve in the interim. In addition to his new role, Lee is also the dean of LSU's college of agriculture and oversees research at the AgCenter. He has also worked as a public health expert, specializing in rural crime and community development. He joins us to talk about his career and goals in this new position. According to a new report, Louisiana children rank near last in the country in overall well-being, despite some notable gains in education. Louisiana fell a spot from last year to 49th out of 50 states on the Kids Count Data Book, published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It considers how children are doing in four main categories: economics, education, health and family. Teresa Falgoust, director of data and research for Agenda for Children, Louisiana's member of the KIDS COUNT network, joins us to break down these findings. —Today's episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman, Adam Vos and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It's available on Spotify, the NPR App and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you're at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you'd like to listen to.Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

Sparking discussion to ignite change, that's the goal of the Indiana Youth Institute's 2025 Kids Count Data Book.The data, released in mid-February at the Statehouse, outlines trends affecting kids in Indiana. From health and education to economic stability and family support, the report paints a detailed picture of what life looks like for Hoosier kids.The report ranks Indiana 27th in the United States for overall child well-being.The data also found, in Marion County, that access to exercise opportunities is at 91% compared to 76% statewide.The report also saw a decrease in substance abuse for students in grades 7-12.But, Marion County's youths still face challenges. One of the biggest is mental health, a problem that increased during the pandemic. Indiana Youth Institute plans to travel to other regions of Indiana to present local data about kids to community leaders and advocates.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Terry Brooks shares an overview of the 2024 Kentucky KIDS COUNT Data Book and the trends in the latest child well-being data. The 2024 Data Book and new online, interactive County Data Dashboard feature the latest data on 16 measures of economic security, education, health, and family and community. Additionally, the essay of this year's edition dives into the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and progress on mitigating those impacts through Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs). View the Data Book and accompanying resources at kyyouth.org/kentucky-kids-count/. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count Podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family's wellbeing in mind.

Organizations find themselves asking similar questions when it comes to conducting a needs assessment: Where can I find reliable data? How do I know if it's relevant to my community? Is the information up to date? These are important concerns. Accessing meaningful data can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to make it applicable to the specific work you're doing. Today, we address these questions by giving you an overview of one key data source: the Kids Count Data Book, which provides state and county-level indicators on child and family well-being. This resource is particularly valuable for organizations focusing on children, youth, and human services. We'll walk through how this data can inform needs assessments and decision-making for programs and policies. And stay tuned—this is just the start. Upcoming conversations will highlight additional data sources to support our assessments and the impact of our work. You'll hear: (01:56) What the Kids Count Data Book is and why it's relevant for nonprofits focusing on child and family services. (03:52) What key trends and indicators in child well-being are highlighted in the 2024 Kids Count Report. (12:19) How to navigate the website and access the data at both the state and county levels. (17:30) What an example of using this data effectively at the state level looks like, featuring the Georgia Family Connection Partnership. Watch the video version of the episode for the visual aids.

Terry Brooks is joined by Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman to continue Kentucky Youth Advocates' look at the 2024 national KIDS COUNT® Data Book and Kentucky students' educational outcomes. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family's wellbeing in mind.

Terry Brooks is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Dinkins, dean of the School of Education at Bellarmine University, and Dr. Jim Flynn, Executive Director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, to continue Kentucky Youth Advocates' look at the 2024 national KIDS COUNT® Data Book and Kentucky students' educational outcomes. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family's wellbeing in mind.

Terry Brooks is joined by state Senator Max Wise and Representative James Tipton to continue Kentucky Youth Advocates' look at the 2024 national KIDS COUNT® Data Book and Kentucky students' educational outcomes. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family's wellbeing in mind.

For several years now, researchers at the national Annie E. Casey Foundation have measured and documented how well each U.S. state is doing when it comes to the well-being of its children. The annual KIDS Count report looks at several important indicators in fields like economic well-being, educational achievement and health, assesses whether states are […] The post NC Child's Erica Palmer Smith on child well-being and the 2024 KIDS Count data book appeared first on NC Newsline.

Terry Brooks reflects on key takeaways from the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2024 KIDS COUNT® Data Book. The 50-state report provides state level data and rankings, analyzing how kids are faring in post-pandemic America. With a focus on challenges facing children's educational outcomes, the data show Kentucky must do more to prepare children to learn so they are ready to earn when they reach adulthood. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count Podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family's wellbeing in mind.

On Tuesday's show: The Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids Count report is out, and it doesn't have very flattering things to say about child wellbeing in Texas. We discuss whether the report jibes with what Bob Sanborn of Children at Risk sees locally and statewide.Also this hour: Just in time for summer, dermatologist Dr. Oyetewa Oyerinde answers questions about skin care. She's the director of the Skin of Color Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine.And film critic Joe Leydon reflects on the classic Hitchcock film Dial M for Murder, and we talk with an actor from an adaptation of the story on stage now at The Alley Theatre.

Marion County voters will have 18 judges on their ballot in November for the General Election — on Tuesday, eight incumbent judges recommended for retention will give public interviews. A conservative organization is suing Indiana University for its bias reporting system. Indiana's three candidates for governor have agreed to at least one televised debate this fall — but can the debates matter? Indiana ranks in the bottom half of all 50 states for child well-being. That's according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's national Kids Count Data Book. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. Today's episode of WFYI News Now was produced by Abriana Herron, Drew Daudelin and Kendall Antron with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.

A new MPR News, Star Tribune, KARE-11 Minnesota Poll shows President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in a close race in the state — five months before the election. And a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation's “Kids Count Data Book” finds Minnesota is holding steady in its ranking as fifth in the nation for child well-being. This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.New Minnesota poll has Biden with narrow edge over Trump as both remain unpopularRead the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

NV progressive groups react to Trump Las Vegas campaign rally; Trump probation interview set for today (Monday) after hush money conviction; Arkansas receives mixed results in annual Kids Count Data Book; MA could become 11th state with medical aid-in-dying law.

NV progressive groups react to Trump Las Vegas campaign rally; Trump probation interview set for today (Monday) after hush money conviction; Arkansas receives mixed results in annual Kids Count Data Book; MA could become 11th state with medical aid-in-dying law.

Park City to further evaluate paid parking at Bonanza Flat trailheads, Summit County Health Department Director Phil Bondurant has a monthly update, Moe Hickey CEO Voices for Utah Children and Martin Munoz Kids Count Director discuss the results of this year's "KIDS COUNT Data Book" overview and Park City Education Foundation CEO Ingrid Whitley and Vice President of Advancement Jen Billow has an update on the success of Running With Ed and classroom grants.

A recent report by 2023 Kids Count Data Book studied how economic well-being, education, health and family support impacts a child's overall well-being, and how those impacts vary from state to state. So how does Kentucky rank? Not good, according to Scottie B. Day, M.D., Physician-in-Chief at Kentucky Children's Hospital and chair of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics. He talks with Dr. Greg about the commonwealth's overall rating of 40th.

Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height discusses the health and well-being of children in Indianapolis in response to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's recent release of its annual Kids Count Data Book.

Terry Brooks discusses data trends featured in the latest national KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, including challenges facing child and family well-being and the child care sector. Sarah Vanover, Policy and Research Director at Kentucky Youth Advocates, moderates a panel of child care advocates: State Senator Danny Carroll, Ashley Brandt with Metro United Way, and Kathy Donelan of Aunt Kathy's Child Care & Preschool, Inc. in Northern Kentucky. View our press release and the Kentucky State Data Profile Sheet at kyyouth.org. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family's wellbeing in mind.

00:00 Show Open / Amy Knight, President of the Children's Hospital Association, discusses Family Advocacy Day, held this week in Washington . 10:00 Courtesy of our sister station, WBNS 10-TV, Tracy Townsend provides an update on legislation being worked on at the Statehouse; a joint resolution to remove slavery from Ohio's Constitution as a punishment for crime; and the push to keep kids safe on social media platforms. 36:30 Christina Muryn, the Mayor of Findlay, discusses issues facing her city. 50:00 Lisa Hamilton, President and CEO of Annie E. Casey Foundation, discusses their annual Kids Count Data Book, which ranks the states on 16 key measures of child well-being.

Part 1 - Neville James is joined by the St. Croix Foundation's Deanna James, President & CEO, Chermaine Hobson, KIDS COUNT Sector Liaison, and Lilli Cox, Director of Communications and Community Investments to discuss the 2023 Kids Count Data Book and how it affects our community. 

On today's show, Arkansas ranked 43rd in the nation for overall child well-being for the second consecutive year, according to the 2023 KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Seventy Times Seven A True Story of Murder and Mercy" about the 1980's homicide of Ruth Pelke in Gary, Indiana.The 2023 Kids Count Data Book reports the kids are not alright.

This week on Generation Justice, we proudly featured Emily Wildau, the Research Policy Analyst and Kids Count Coordinator at New Mexico Voices for Children, who shared about the 2022 Kids Count Data Book, the health of New Mexicans, how we as community members can be involved, and much more! We also shared with you our weekly vaccine equity segment with information on how to stay safe & upcoming Black History Month & Legislative events!

Interest rates continue to climb, the 2022 Kids Count Data Book and the "Trump Effect" on the 2022 Midterm election.

If children in Alabama could vote, perhaps their voices would be heard. Maybe they could get the attention of our state's leaders in all 67 counties. Just maybe they would have a better report than the state recently received — 46th overall in the wellbeing of our children. That's according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2022 KIDS COUNT Data Book. If they could vote, our children would choose officials who would better represent their needs, and maybe they could even hire a lobbyist or two to represent their best interests. The annual report considers 16 indicators including community and...Article Link

Learn more in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2022 KIDS COUNT Data Book. The post NC Child health policy director Kaylan Szafranski discusses the latest research on child well-being appeared first on NC Policy Watch.

Guest: Amber Wallin, Executive Director of NM Voices for Children, discusses the latest poverty and wellbeing indicators for children from the newly released Kids Count Data Book and the policies in place to improve outcomes for our families.

(PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE) - Ohio ranks 31st in an annual 50-state report on child well-being. The findings from the 2022 KIDS COUNT Data Book include a dramatic spike in chronic absenteeism and a growing mental health crisis among youth. Comments from Kim Eckhart, research manager, Children's Defense Fund-Ohio; and Leslie Boissiere (boss-EE-air), vice president, external affairs, Annie E. Casey Foundation. How you can connect with us Subscribe to the podcast Ways you can support the show Check out our latest podcasts Connect with Chris Pugh on social media Ways you can save money Check out our latest contests --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theohioan/message

Idaho Voices for Children director Christine Tiddens joins Melissa Davlin to talk about the new KIDS COUNT Data Book, an annual report that examines child wellbeing state-by-state in four indicator categories. This year's report shows that mental health challenges are still a struggle for Idaho youth, despite overall improvements over the past decade. View the full report here: https://www.aecf.org/resources/2022-kids-count-data-book

Indiana's State of the Child with Dr. Tami Silverman (04/26/2022) - Kelley & Ray talk to the President of the Indiana Youth Institute about the new 2022 KIDS COUNT Data Book. See the information for yourself at www.IYI.org

Every year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation produces the KIDS Count Data Book. The annual report sheds light on the overall well-being of children in each state. Rebecca Rice, Georgia's KIDS COUNT manager, discusses what indicators led Georgia to be ranked 38.It's been one year since Congressman John Lewis' passing. His life lessons and reflections are the focus of his latest book. Kabir Sehgal, who helped co-write Lewis' new biography, "Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation," discusses the overarching message Lewis has now and for generations to come.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

FULL TRANSCRIPT OF EPISODEProvided by Otter.aiEoin Trainor  0:00  The views and opinions expressed in Eye on the Triangle do not represent WKNC or student media.Eoin Trainor  0:45  Good evening Raleigh and welcome to this week's Eye on the Triangle an NC State student produced new show on WKNC 88.1 FM HD one Raleigh, I am Eoin Trainor. On tonight's episode, Elizabeth Esser interviews Santisha Walker, a registered nurse, entrepreneur, author and speaker based in Durham they talk about her fitness apparel and wellness brand, the I am experience. But first you have some stories from the North Carolina News Service enjoy.Nadia Ramlagan  1:12  A state environmental committee is considering a proposal to set a process in motion to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. It involves North Carolina joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative or “RGGI,” a collaborative effort to shrink emissions by a group of East Coast states. RGGI requires companies to purchase an allowance for each ton of carbon-dioxide pollution they produce. The petition now heads to a second commission for a vote. Joel Porter with Clean Air Carolina says environmental groups are pleased the state is taking the impact of carbon pollution seriously.Joel Porter  1:44  So that was a big step forward for us on a long journey through the regulatory process, but we are encouraged that they approve of our petition and regulating greenhouse gases in North Carolina.Nadia Ramlagan  1:57  He says states already part of RGGI have seen carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants drop 47-percent over the last decade. With that dip in fossil-fuel generation came cleaner air, fewer hospital visits, and fewer lost work or school days from asthma and other respiratory illnesses. But an energy bill being debated by state lawmakers could complicate the effort to join RGGI. Porter says House Bill 951 would enshrine natural gas and fossil-fuel use in the state for the next decade, and limit the amount of renewable energy that can be used.Joel Porter  2:30  All and all, we're glad that we're supporting a petition to get the state in RGGI, because this bill closes the state's energy market to clean energy.Nadia Ramlagan  2:41  Derb Carter with the Southern Environmental Law Center says joining RGGI would put North Carolina on a path to reduce carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 70-percent before 2030, and become carbon neutral by 2050.Derb Carter  2:55  Which generally aligns with what the scientists are telling us we really need to do to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.Nadia Ramlagan  3:04  Carter notes North Carolinians already feel the effects of climate change from extreme weather. He says unless the course is shifted, the state's residents and economy will see more consequences. For North Carolina News Service, I'm Nadia Ramlagan.Nadia Ramlagan  3:23  New survey data offer a clear picture of how North Carolina kids and families are faring, both before and after the pandemic. The Tarheel State ranks 34th in the nation for overall child well-being in the 2021 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Vikki Crouse with N-C Child says before the pandemic, one in five kids lived in households with incomes below the poverty line. And then, massive job losses meant thousands of parents suddenly had no or reduced income and few options for child care.Vikki Crouse  3:53  So we know that the pandemic took a toll on everyone, but especially parents and caregivers.Nadia Ramlagan  3:59  According to the report, the percentage of adults in households with kids experiencing symptoms of depression rose from 19-percent last year, to 22-percent in March of this year. The data also reveal in 2020, 22-percent of households with children experienced housing insecurity, reporting "little or no confidence" in their ability to pay their next rent or mortgage payment. In March 2021, that figure has dipped to 17-percent. However, Crouse says affordable housing continues to be a pressing issue.Vikki Crouse  4:29  And now he's really constrained because certainly families and kids don't fare well if they don't have a stable place to live.Nadia Ramlagan  4:36  But she notes the expanded Child Tax Credit will likely lift more than 140-thousand North Carolina children out of poverty.  Leslie Boissiere with the Casey Foundation explains both state and federal Child Tax Credit programs are critical to eliminating structural inequities in the tax code.Leslie Boissiere  4:53  We are excited and grateful that lawmakers passed the expansion, and we're calling on them to make that expansion permanent. We'd like to ensure that we don't have the largest-ever one-year reduction in the number of children who live in poverty, followed immediately by the largest-ever one-year increase.Nadia Ramlagan  5:10  She adds more than half of Black children have historically been ineligible for the full Child Tax Credit because their household incomes are too low, compared with 25-percent of white children. For North Carolina News Service, I'm Nadia Ramlagan.Lily Bohlke  5:30  Groups advocating for clean energy say Governor Roy Cooper's recent commitment to expanding North Carolina's offshore wind capacity will bring economic benefits to the state. North Carolina has among the highest offshore wind-energy potential in the nation, with its long coastline and shallow outer-continental shelf. Jaime Simmons, with the Southeastern Wind Coalition, says in addition to being a carbon-free source of power, expanding offshore wind could create tens of thousands of new jobs.Jamie Simmons  6:00  Some of these major location decisions are being driven in large part by the states or regions with anticipated projects. So these development goals set by Gov. Cooper make a much stronger case for these manufacturers to locate and invest in North Carolina.Lily Bohlke  6:16  North Carolina is facing a 10-year moratorium on all offshore energy leasing starting in July of 2022. Simmons says pending legislation would exempt offshore wind from the ban. In the meantime, she says there's work to do to get existing wind-energy areas ready for leasing – Wilmington East and West in the southern part of the state – and prepare for development of new projects to start immediately when the moratorium ends. Simmons says offshore wind will be an essential part of the move toward a carbon-free grid – and that it marries well with solar energy. When solar starts to produce less in the day, around early evening, offshore wind usually is blowing the strongest. She adds that the high generation capacity of individual offshore wind projects is key.Jamie Simmons  7:04  You're really talking about rethinking what baseload power means. Offshore wind is really the only renewable energy that could replace the capacity from a coal facility or natural-gas facility.Lily Bohlke  7:19  Cooper's proclamation outlines targets for offshore wind energy of 28-hundred megawatts by 2030 and 8-thousand megawatts by 2040. His administration notes 8-thousand megawatts could power more than 2-million homes. The order also aligns with the state's clean-energy plan signed in 2018, which aims to reduce power-sector greenhouse gases 70-percent by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. For North Carolina News Service, I'm Lily Bohlke, reporting.Elizabeth Esser  7:54  I'm Elizabeth Esser with WKNC 88.1 Eye on the Triangle. Joining us today is Santisha Walker, a certified nurse, entrepreneur, speaker and author based in Durham, North Carolina. We discussed her fitness apparel and wellness brand, the I Am experience. Santisha, thank you so much for joining us on Eye on the Triangle. Santisha Walker  8:13  You're welcome. Thank you for having me, Elizabeth. I'm excited to be here.Elizabeth Esser  8:18  So you wear many hats. You're a certified nurse and entrepreneur an author, speaker. Would you mind telling our listeners a bit about your professional background and how you got to where you are today? Santisha Walker  8:29  Sure. So yes, I am a registered nurse. I've been a nurse for seven years, I actually received my nursing degree from Wake Technical Community College here in Raleigh. And then I went on to get my master's in nursing from Gardner Webb University. And so as far as my nursing background, I have worked at Wake med, I was a cardiac nurse on intermediate step down unit, I worked at a private practice in Raleigh for neurology, I've done homecare, supervisory visits, I've worked in assisted living, long term care and rehab. So I have a really broad knowledge of nursing. And as you know, I'm not your typical traditional conventional nurse, I believe in stepping outside of the box and using my nursing knowledge to help others outside of the bedside setting. I'm also a wellness coach. And so I thought it would be great to pair wellness knowledge with my nursing health care information that I have and then make you know the best of that and be able to help others outside of that setting. I am here from the Raleigh Durham area and I reside here at RTP. And so I try to reach out to the community and partner with others who are making a difference in the lives of others as well in the healthcare wellness setting. So I have a broad range of knowledge. Elizabeth Esser  9:43  So what is the I Am experience and and what inspired you to create it?Santisha Walker  9:48  Sure, so the I am experience. So my mission with that is to basically offer individuals a fitness and wellness experience that's going to empower them to intentionally cultivate the best version of themselves and reflect it out to the world. And so my vision was to offer a fitness apparel from a quality brand that everyone can trust. And then also tag on to that wellness products that they can use while they are actually working on their physical body. And so where this idea came from, I actually came to me during the pandemic, right, everyone was home, we were all going through a lot. myself as a nurse, I was still actually helping in the bedside setting, doing what we call PRN, helping in different COVID units in the area. But when I was home, I actually decided to focus more on my actual fitness and physical fit as far as my physical body. And so I began working out more. Before the pandemic, I would go to the boxing gym and try to work on my body, but I got really lazy with it. So I decided to incorporate more physical activity for myself. But also I want it to center myself emotionally, spiritually and mentally, right. And so with every, at every news station, every time we turned around, there was something negative being mentioned or or new breaking news, I should say about Coronavirus, and about COVID and about the number of deaths and so it was taking a toll on everyone, including myself. And so what I wanted to do was become very still very centered. And so I begin positive self talk, I begin to incorporate heavily, I was doing it before, but I really want to focus on positive affirmations. And so during my workout sessions, which I would work out early in the morning, go ahead and get it done for the day, I began playing affirmations in the background. So while I was doing my HIIT Workout, I had affirmations going. And that really helped me during that vulnerable time when I was working out to center my mind and to speak to myself in my body. And I just took it from there. So I thought you know, what, if this is helping me Who else could this actually help? You know, because when we working out that's a very, it's empowering, but it's also very vulnerable, right? Because you're questioning yourself, can I do this, I have to reach this goal, I have to feel better. So you're vulnerable, but you're also empowering yourself to keep going and push past that threshold. And so that that's when it came to me, you know, it would be really cool to you know, come up with an apparel that people could actually put on when they can actually when they see themselves in that apparel, they will be empowered, right. But then also add products or add something to that, that would allow them to continue with the empowerment, mind body, soul and spirit. And so that's where it came from my husband's nonprofit organization, Carolina united flag football club, they actually had access to Nike apparel, and so I tapped into his resource and I was able to get great you know, quality apparel and use you know, use the I Am brand to go ahead and put something great out there for individuals.Elizabeth Esser  13:03  And so I understand that the brand is not just a fitness apparel brand. What all does it offer?Santisha Walker  13:10  Yeah, great, great. Okay. So this is this is the fun part right because there are several fitness apparel you know, you can athleisure is everywhere. But the thing that says that I am experienced a part is we offer an I am fitness wellness kit, right so that I Am exclusive wellness kit is basically 10 subjects that those who purchase the apparel can choose from it's complimentary. And so you choose one of those subjects with your apparel purchase. And I'm actually sending you information based on my nursing and wellness knowledge that will help you to incorporate that into your life. So there are daily practical guides, they're invaluable resources that are reputable that you can you can believe and trust in, there's evidence based information that's provided on that particular topic. So each time you purchase an apparel, you can choose a new topic to go along with your apparel. So that I am exclusive wellness kit will be included with your package with your actual apparel that you receive at your doorstep. Okay, so another product that I included was the I Am energy workout mix. This was this was a really fun project. And again, like I mentioned before I was working out right but what I wanted to do was put I am affirmations on top of energizing beats So when we work out we want something that's just going to keep us going and especially when we reach that peak, right, we have to push to that threshold. And so what I wanted to do was incorporate Im affirmations with energizing beats so that you can actually listen to it for while you're working out. So it is a 30 minute audio. And so these are professionally engineered beats that are done by the professionals. I know nothing about studio work. So I reached out to Hatton Brandon CO and they were able to reach out to their resources their team and put together the I am energy work out there. And so again, that's complimentary. It comes with your apparel, you can only get it once you purchase your apparel. But that's actually to help your mind stay in that positive mindset while you're working out. And I actually had some someone reach out to me and she said, You know what, I actually listened to it after I finished my workout. And so that you can carry it into your everyday activities. And the other, the other, this is not really a product. But the other thing that I offer is I am empowered private group. And so that is a private Facebook group, you have to have an entry code, you have to answer questions to be able to get in. But once you purchase your apparel, then you actually get access to that group to be held accountable, and to be empowered on a daily and weekly basis. And so it's not just me posting information as a healthcare professional. But it's those that are in the group, were asking questions, Hey, what are you guys doing about this? How are you guys being empowered this week? This is what I'm doing. Right. One of the things I posted yesterday was Hey, guys, like I had a little bit too much sugar last week, and, and I didn't really take in as much water this week, I am, you know, being held accountable to drinking more water. And so they hold me accountable to that. So yeah, I wanted to definitely partner wellness products,Elizabeth Esser  16:15  and you have a background in healthcare and business. And you've been able to successfully merge these two passions in your career. Was creating a brand like the I am experience always a goal of yours? Or is that something that just happened along the way?Santisha Walker  16:31  Great question. So it happened along the way. You know, if you do a little bit of research and background on me, I am a true like, nurse entrepreneur, what we call nursepreneur. And so I consider myself a serial entrepreneur, because I love taking ideas, I love taking things and my creativities and bringing them to a full finished work and bringing them to fruition. And so no, I it's so funny, I had never envisioned myself, even launching a fitness line, right. But I have a business degree. And I always tell this story. I have a business degree. And I concentrated in marketing. But I never envisioned that I would be an entrepreneur. And I know that's like an oxymoron it's contradictory. But when I went to college back in 2001, you know, I didn't know what I wanted to do what to major is I said, Hey, if I get a business degree, I could always use it at some point in life. And then after graduating I in college, I kind of had an idea. I wanted to be a nurse, but I was close to graduating. So I graduated. But becoming a nurse, I didn't become a nurse to even partner the two worlds. It wasn't until later I realized, oh my god, I have all of this knowledge, I have a business degree. And my husband actually brought that idea of, you know, going into consulting and starting my own business. And so eventually I'm merged the two. So I did not set out to be a serial nursepreneur, I did not set out to launch, you know, a fitness line, I do believe in submitting my mind, my body and my will to the will of God, my Creator. And I do believe in allowing him to order my steps. And so throughout life, life is very secure. You know, very, you know, it's a windy road. And so I just believe in just following him and doing what he's telling me to do. And it's been a success so far. Success, meaning I have empowered a lot of people along the way. That's how I measure my level of success. So, you know, no, I didn't set out to do it. But I did. I do believe in not being boxed in and just you know, submitting myself to God and letting him use me in that way.Elizabeth Esser  18:38  And as a registered nurse yourself, you have a specific passion of empowering nurses professionally and in life. How have nurses and other health care professionals responded to the I am experience?Santisha Walker  18:51  Yeah, so they responded great. I actually had a giveaway I launched actually the day like nurses week was my first inaugural launch of the brand. And so I had nurses like reach out to me that was actually a giveaway that I offered. And one of the one of the nurses won, but they've responded positively. I will say just in general, nurses are amazing. We're the powerhouse of healthcare. And I'm happy to see that we are moving along and becoming used to nurses operating outside of that traditional setting. But it's it is still a pool every once in a while to get nurses to see another nurse operating outside of just having all scrubs and starting IVs and running to codes. And so I have had a positive response. But I think as nurses hear more about this and realize, Hey, you know, this is something you guys can tap into as well. I think there will be even more a better response but so far it's been it's been good. I actually have a nurse who was a part of our inaugural launch. And so she has actually been putting it she's a she's an ER nurse at Wake med and she's actually been she's an ambassador. And she's been putting helped me get the brand out to other nurses as well. Elizabeth Esser  20:05  When is your next release?Santisha Walker  20:07  Yeah, so my next release is actually, this Friday, June the 25th. I'm not sure when this will air, but it is June the 25th. And so I release the fourth Friday of every month. And so if you missed the first release, or the most previous release, you can also always subscribe and then you'll get a heads up with that next release is coming. So the 25th of June is my next release. And the releases are available only for one week. And so you have to almost get in there why you can you know, while the getting is good. And then once that, that that seven day is over, then the next release is not until another three or four weeks.Elizabeth Esser  20:44  And finally, where can listeners find your merchandise? Santisha Walker  20:47  Yeah, so they can find it at WWW.theIAMexperience.shop So that is the I am experienced dot shop. And then once they go there, they can see all of the amazing information and yeah, all the good stuff.Elizabeth Esser  21:04  Santisha, thank you so much for joining us.Santisha Walker  21:07  You're welcome Elizabeth, thank you so much for having me.Eoin Trainor  21:11  And that is it for this episode of Eye on the Triangle. Thanks for tuning in. If you have any questions, comments, ideas or would like to get involved, shoot us an email at public affairs@wknc.org. We'd love to hear from you. Stay tuned for usual programming. We'll see you next time.

FULL TRANSCRIPT OF EPISODEProvided by Otter.aiEoin Trainor  0:00  The views and opinions expressed in Eye on the Triangle do not represent WKNC or student media.Eoin Trainor  0:45  Good evening Raleigh and welcome to this week's Eye on the Triangle an NC State student produced new show on WKNC 88.1 FM HD one Raleigh, I am Eoin Trainor. On tonight's episode, Elizabeth Esser interviews Santisha Walker, a registered nurse, entrepreneur, author and speaker based in Durham they talk about her fitness apparel and wellness brand, the I am experience. But first you have some stories from the North Carolina News Service enjoy.Nadia Ramlagan  1:12  A state environmental committee is considering a proposal to set a process in motion to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. It involves North Carolina joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative or “RGGI,” a collaborative effort to shrink emissions by a group of East Coast states. RGGI requires companies to purchase an allowance for each ton of carbon-dioxide pollution they produce. The petition now heads to a second commission for a vote. Joel Porter with Clean Air Carolina says environmental groups are pleased the state is taking the impact of carbon pollution seriously.Joel Porter  1:44  So that was a big step forward for us on a long journey through the regulatory process, but we are encouraged that they approve of our petition and regulating greenhouse gases in North Carolina.Nadia Ramlagan  1:57  He says states already part of RGGI have seen carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants drop 47-percent over the last decade. With that dip in fossil-fuel generation came cleaner air, fewer hospital visits, and fewer lost work or school days from asthma and other respiratory illnesses. But an energy bill being debated by state lawmakers could complicate the effort to join RGGI. Porter says House Bill 951 would enshrine natural gas and fossil-fuel use in the state for the next decade, and limit the amount of renewable energy that can be used.Joel Porter  2:30  All and all, we're glad that we're supporting a petition to get the state in RGGI, because this bill closes the state's energy market to clean energy.Nadia Ramlagan  2:41  Derb Carter with the Southern Environmental Law Center says joining RGGI would put North Carolina on a path to reduce carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 70-percent before 2030, and become carbon neutral by 2050.Derb Carter  2:55  Which generally aligns with what the scientists are telling us we really need to do to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.Nadia Ramlagan  3:04  Carter notes North Carolinians already feel the effects of climate change from extreme weather. He says unless the course is shifted, the state's residents and economy will see more consequences. For North Carolina News Service, I'm Nadia Ramlagan.Nadia Ramlagan  3:23  New survey data offer a clear picture of how North Carolina kids and families are faring, both before and after the pandemic. The Tarheel State ranks 34th in the nation for overall child well-being in the 2021 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Vikki Crouse with N-C Child says before the pandemic, one in five kids lived in households with incomes below the poverty line. And then, massive job losses meant thousands of parents suddenly had no or reduced income and few options for child care.Vikki Crouse  3:53  So we know that the pandemic took a toll on everyone, but especially parents and caregivers.Nadia Ramlagan  3:59  According to the report, the percentage of adults in households with kids experiencing symptoms of depression rose from 19-percent last year, to 22-percent in March of this year. The data also reveal in 2020, 22-percent of households with children experienced housing insecurity, reporting "little or no confidence" in their ability to pay their next rent or mortgage payment. In March 2021, that figure has dipped to 17-percent. However, Crouse says affordable housing continues to be a pressing issue.Vikki Crouse  4:29  And now he's really constrained because certainly families and kids don't fare well if they don't have a stable place to live.Nadia Ramlagan  4:36  But she notes the expanded Child Tax Credit will likely lift more than 140-thousand North Carolina children out of poverty.  Leslie Boissiere with the Casey Foundation explains both state and federal Child Tax Credit programs are critical to eliminating structural inequities in the tax code.Leslie Boissiere  4:53  We are excited and grateful that lawmakers passed the expansion, and we're calling on them to make that expansion permanent. We'd like to ensure that we don't have the largest-ever one-year reduction in the number of children who live in poverty, followed immediately by the largest-ever one-year increase.Nadia Ramlagan  5:10  She adds more than half of Black children have historically been ineligible for the full Child Tax Credit because their household incomes are too low, compared with 25-percent of white children. For North Carolina News Service, I'm Nadia Ramlagan.Lily Bohlke  5:30  Groups advocating for clean energy say Governor Roy Cooper's recent commitment to expanding North Carolina's offshore wind capacity will bring economic benefits to the state. North Carolina has among the highest offshore wind-energy potential in the nation, with its long coastline and shallow outer-continental shelf. Jaime Simmons, with the Southeastern Wind Coalition, says in addition to being a carbon-free source of power, expanding offshore wind could create tens of thousands of new jobs.Jamie Simmons  6:00  Some of these major location decisions are being driven in large part by the states or regions with anticipated projects. So these development goals set by Gov. Cooper make a much stronger case for these manufacturers to locate and invest in North Carolina.Lily Bohlke  6:16  North Carolina is facing a 10-year moratorium on all offshore energy leasing starting in July of 2022. Simmons says pending legislation would exempt offshore wind from the ban. In the meantime, she says there's work to do to get existing wind-energy areas ready for leasing – Wilmington East and West in the southern part of the state – and prepare for development of new projects to start immediately when the moratorium ends. Simmons says offshore wind will be an essential part of the move toward a carbon-free grid – and that it marries well with solar energy. When solar starts to produce less in the day, around early evening, offshore wind usually is blowing the strongest. She adds that the high generation capacity of individual offshore wind projects is key.Jamie Simmons  7:04  You're really talking about rethinking what baseload power means. Offshore wind is really the only renewable energy that could replace the capacity from a coal facility or natural-gas facility.Lily Bohlke  7:19  Cooper's proclamation outlines targets for offshore wind energy of 28-hundred megawatts by 2030 and 8-thousand megawatts by 2040. His administration notes 8-thousand megawatts could power more than 2-million homes. The order also aligns with the state's clean-energy plan signed in 2018, which aims to reduce power-sector greenhouse gases 70-percent by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. For North Carolina News Service, I'm Lily Bohlke, reporting.Elizabeth Esser  7:54  I'm Elizabeth Esser with WKNC 88.1 Eye on the Triangle. Joining us today is Santisha Walker, a certified nurse, entrepreneur, speaker and author based in Durham, North Carolina. We discussed her fitness apparel and wellness brand, the I Am experience. Santisha, thank you so much for joining us on Eye on the Triangle. Santisha Walker  8:13  You're welcome. Thank you for having me, Elizabeth. I'm excited to be here.Elizabeth Esser  8:18  So you wear many hats. You're a certified nurse and entrepreneur an author, speaker. Would you mind telling our listeners a bit about your professional background and how you got to where you are today? Santisha Walker  8:29  Sure. So yes, I am a registered nurse. I've been a nurse for seven years, I actually received my nursing degree from Wake Technical Community College here in Raleigh. And then I went on to get my master's in nursing from Gardner Webb University. And so as far as my nursing background, I have worked at Wake med, I was a cardiac nurse on intermediate step down unit, I worked at a private practice in Raleigh for neurology, I've done homecare, supervisory visits, I've worked in assisted living, long term care and rehab. So I have a really broad knowledge of nursing. And as you know, I'm not your typical traditional conventional nurse, I believe in stepping outside of the box and using my nursing knowledge to help others outside of the bedside setting. I'm also a wellness coach. And so I thought it would be great to pair wellness knowledge with my nursing health care information that I have and then make you know the best of that and be able to help others outside of that setting. I am here from the Raleigh Durham area and I reside here at RTP. And so I try to reach out to the community and partner with others who are making a difference in the lives of others as well in the healthcare wellness setting. So I have a broad range of knowledge. Elizabeth Esser  9:43  So what is the I Am experience and and what inspired you to create it?Santisha Walker  9:48  Sure, so the I am experience. So my mission with that is to basically offer individuals a fitness and wellness experience that's going to empower them to intentionally cultivate the best version of themselves and reflect it out to the world. And so my vision was to offer a fitness apparel from a quality brand that everyone can trust. And then also tag on to that wellness products that they can use while they are actually working on their physical body. And so where this idea came from, I actually came to me during the pandemic, right, everyone was home, we were all going through a lot. myself as a nurse, I was still actually helping in the bedside setting, doing what we call PRN, helping in different COVID units in the area. But when I was home, I actually decided to focus more on my actual fitness and physical fit as far as my physical body. And so I began working out more. Before the pandemic, I would go to the boxing gym and try to work on my body, but I got really lazy with it. So I decided to incorporate more physical activity for myself. But also I want it to center myself emotionally, spiritually and mentally, right. And so with every, at every news station, every time we turned around, there was something negative being mentioned or or new breaking news, I should say about Coronavirus, and about COVID and about the number of deaths and so it was taking a toll on everyone, including myself. And so what I wanted to do was become very still very centered. And so I begin positive self talk, I begin to incorporate heavily, I was doing it before, but I really want to focus on positive affirmations. And so during my workout sessions, which I would work out early in the morning, go ahead and get it done for the day, I began playing affirmations in the background. So while I was doing my HIIT Workout, I had affirmations going. And that really helped me during that vulnerable time when I was working out to center my mind and to speak to myself in my body. And I just took it from there. So I thought you know, what, if this is helping me Who else could this actually help? You know, because when we working out that's a very, it's empowering, but it's also very vulnerable, right? Because you're questioning yourself, can I do this, I have to reach this goal, I have to feel better. So you're vulnerable, but you're also empowering yourself to keep going and push past that threshold. And so that that's when it came to me, you know, it would be really cool to you know, come up with an apparel that people could actually put on when they can actually when they see themselves in that apparel, they will be empowered, right. But then also add products or add something to that, that would allow them to continue with the empowerment, mind body, soul and spirit. And so that's where it came from my husband's nonprofit organization, Carolina united flag football club, they actually had access to Nike apparel, and so I tapped into his resource and I was able to get great you know, quality apparel and use you know, use the I Am brand to go ahead and put something great out there for individuals.Elizabeth Esser  13:03  And so I understand that the brand is not just a fitness apparel brand. What all does it offer?Santisha Walker  13:10  Yeah, great, great. Okay. So this is this is the fun part right because there are several fitness apparel you know, you can athleisure is everywhere. But the thing that says that I am experienced a part is we offer an I am fitness wellness kit, right so that I Am exclusive wellness kit is basically 10 subjects that those who purchase the apparel can choose from it's complimentary. And so you choose one of those subjects with your apparel purchase. And I'm actually sending you information based on my nursing and wellness knowledge that will help you to incorporate that into your life. So there are daily practical guides, they're invaluable resources that are reputable that you can you can believe and trust in, there's evidence based information that's provided on that particular topic. So each time you purchase an apparel, you can choose a new topic to go along with your apparel. So that I am exclusive wellness kit will be included with your package with your actual apparel that you receive at your doorstep. Okay, so another product that I included was the I Am energy workout mix. This was this was a really fun project. And again, like I mentioned before I was working out right but what I wanted to do was put I am affirmations on top of energizing beats So when we work out we want something that's just going to keep us going and especially when we reach that peak, right, we have to push to that threshold. And so what I wanted to do was incorporate Im affirmations with energizing beats so that you can actually listen to it for while you're working out. So it is a 30 minute audio. And so these are professionally engineered beats that are done by the professionals. I know nothing about studio work. So I reached out to Hatton Brandon CO and they were able to reach out to their resources their team and put together the I am energy work out there. And so again, that's complimentary. It comes with your apparel, you can only get it once you purchase your apparel. But that's actually to help your mind stay in that positive mindset while you're working out. And I actually had some someone reach out to me and she said, You know what, I actually listened to it after I finished my workout. And so that you can carry it into your everyday activities. And the other, the other, this is not really a product. But the other thing that I offer is I am empowered private group. And so that is a private Facebook group, you have to have an entry code, you have to answer questions to be able to get in. But once you purchase your apparel, then you actually get access to that group to be held accountable, and to be empowered on a daily and weekly basis. And so it's not just me posting information as a healthcare professional. But it's those that are in the group, were asking questions, Hey, what are you guys doing about this? How are you guys being empowered this week? This is what I'm doing. Right. One of the things I posted yesterday was Hey, guys, like I had a little bit too much sugar last week, and, and I didn't really take in as much water this week, I am, you know, being held accountable to drinking more water. And so they hold me accountable to that. So yeah, I wanted to definitely partner wellness products,Elizabeth Esser  16:15  and you have a background in healthcare and business. And you've been able to successfully merge these two passions in your career. Was creating a brand like the I am experience always a goal of yours? Or is that something that just happened along the way?Santisha Walker  16:31  Great question. So it happened along the way. You know, if you do a little bit of research and background on me, I am a true like, nurse entrepreneur, what we call nursepreneur. And so I consider myself a serial entrepreneur, because I love taking ideas, I love taking things and my creativities and bringing them to a full finished work and bringing them to fruition. And so no, I it's so funny, I had never envisioned myself, even launching a fitness line, right. But I have a business degree. And I always tell this story. I have a business degree. And I concentrated in marketing. But I never envisioned that I would be an entrepreneur. And I know that's like an oxymoron it's contradictory. But when I went to college back in 2001, you know, I didn't know what I wanted to do what to major is I said, Hey, if I get a business degree, I could always use it at some point in life. And then after graduating I in college, I kind of had an idea. I wanted to be a nurse, but I was close to graduating. So I graduated. But becoming a nurse, I didn't become a nurse to even partner the two worlds. It wasn't until later I realized, oh my god, I have all of this knowledge, I have a business degree. And my husband actually brought that idea of, you know, going into consulting and starting my own business. And so eventually I'm merged the two. So I did not set out to be a serial nursepreneur, I did not set out to launch, you know, a fitness line, I do believe in submitting my mind, my body and my will to the will of God, my Creator. And I do believe in allowing him to order my steps. And so throughout life, life is very secure. You know, very, you know, it's a windy road. And so I just believe in just following him and doing what he's telling me to do. And it's been a success so far. Success, meaning I have empowered a lot of people along the way. That's how I measure my level of success. So, you know, no, I didn't set out to do it. But I did. I do believe in not being boxed in and just you know, submitting myself to God and letting him use me in that way.Elizabeth Esser  18:38  And as a registered nurse yourself, you have a specific passion of empowering nurses professionally and in life. How have nurses and other health care professionals responded to the I am experience?Santisha Walker  18:51  Yeah, so they responded great. I actually had a giveaway I launched actually the day like nurses week was my first inaugural launch of the brand. And so I had nurses like reach out to me that was actually a giveaway that I offered. And one of the one of the nurses won, but they've responded positively. I will say just in general, nurses are amazing. We're the powerhouse of healthcare. And I'm happy to see that we are moving along and becoming used to nurses operating outside of that traditional setting. But it's it is still a pool every once in a while to get nurses to see another nurse operating outside of just having all scrubs and starting IVs and running to codes. And so I have had a positive response. But I think as nurses hear more about this and realize, Hey, you know, this is something you guys can tap into as well. I think there will be even more a better response but so far it's been it's been good. I actually have a nurse who was a part of our inaugural launch. And so she has actually been putting it she's a she's an ER nurse at Wake med and she's actually been she's an ambassador. And she's been putting helped me get the brand out to other nurses as well. Elizabeth Esser  20:05  When is your next release?Santisha Walker  20:07  Yeah, so my next release is actually, this Friday, June the 25th. I'm not sure when this will air, but it is June the 25th. And so I release the fourth Friday of every month. And so if you missed the first release, or the most previous release, you can also always subscribe and then you'll get a heads up with that next release is coming. So the 25th of June is my next release. And the releases are available only for one week. And so you have to almost get in there why you can you know, while the getting is good. And then once that, that that seven day is over, then the next release is not until another three or four weeks.Elizabeth Esser  20:44  And finally, where can listeners find your merchandise? Santisha Walker  20:47  Yeah, so they can find it at WWW.theIAMexperience.shop So that is the I am experienced dot shop. And then once they go there, they can see all of the amazing information and yeah, all the good stuff.Elizabeth Esser  21:04  Santisha, thank you so much for joining us.Santisha Walker  21:07  You're welcome Elizabeth, thank you so much for having me.Eoin Trainor  21:11  And that is it for this episode of Eye on the Triangle. Thanks for tuning in. If you have any questions, comments, ideas or would like to get involved, shoot us an email at public affairs@wknc.org. We'd love to hear from you. Stay tuned for usual programming. We'll see you next time.

Are children in America better off now than a decade ago? We ask researcher Nonso Umunna about the latest “Kids Count” report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It spotlights a range of factors like poverty, school enrollment, and health-insurance coverage. Where did child welfare stand in Maryland before the pandemic, and what resources do families need? Then--school social worker Ashley Woods describes the way the pandemic affected teens' mental health and the bumpy road ahead as more students return to the classroom this fall. Check out the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2021 KIDS COUNT Data Book. It ranks Maryland 24th nationally. You can hear more from Nonso Umunna at WYPR's virtual event on youth mental health, at 3 pm today. We have a link to details, as well as to information about a webinar at 1 pm tomorrow, hosted by Advocates for Children and Youth, titled, “Safety Nets: Stronger and Secure Families.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Idaho Voices for Children director Christine Tiddens joins Melissa Davlin to talk about the new KIDS COUNT Data Book, an annual report that examines child wellbeing state by state. This year's edition explores how families with children fared during the pandemic and broader trends since the Great Recession. "What we've seen is that the number of Idahoans struggling to get by has really sharply increased, due to a variety of factors including the pandemic's really far reaching health and economic impacts," Tiddens said. Davlin and Tiddens discuss the report, with wide-ranging data from educational outcomes and poverty rates to health insurance coverage and teen pregnancy rates, and the economic picture it paints for Idaho families. Tiddens also describes her organization's state and federal policy priorities, and what she thinks can be done to address trends that began long before the pandemic.

This week on our Advocate Virtual forum, we discuss the 2021 national KIDS COUNT Data Book, which was recently co-released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Kentucky Youth Advocates. We review Kentucky data included in the book and discuss federal and state recommendations to improve child well-being and ensure an equitable and expansive recovery from the pandemic. View the Kentucky State Data Profile Sheet and read our press release at kyyouth.org/national-kids-count/. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family's wellbeing in mind.

Today: Retired public school superintendents Tony Lux and Michael Berta and Merrillville Community Schools administrator Danny Lackey are on "Regionally Speaking" to talk about Thursday's first of a two-webcast series co-hosted by Purdue University Northwest and the Northwest Indiana Coalition for Public Education that will focus on education and race, as barriers to learning. The virtual panel discussion is free and available to the public on the Purdue Northwest YouTube channel. We also have another conversation from the Welcome Project at Valparaiso University, a conversation with Griffith Town Council president Rick Ryfa on events and issues involving the town, and Indiana Youth Institute president and CEO Tami Silverman joins us for the latest on the 2021 "Kids Count Data Book" just released.

In this episode, Anna has a conversation with Rowan Childs, founder and executive director of Madison Reading Project.  Learn more about the work of the Madison Reading Project and their upcoming virtual event Whiskey and Words: www.madisonreadingproject.com Also, check out the 2016 Kids Count Data Book (aka Race To Equity Report): https://racetoequity.net/2016-kids-count-data-book/  

A bill to improve distance learning is making its way through the legislature.Then, the latest State of the State survey examines voters' attitudes about government priorities and leadership during the pandemic.Plus, for the first time in three years, Mississippi dropped in the Kids Count Data Book rankings. We look at the reasons why.Segment 1:The coronavirus pandemic is highlighting the struggles rural and poor school districts are having to provide quality distance learning. The Equity in Distance Learning Act, passed by the Senate and now being considered in the House, is designed to address those disparities. The legislation would provide every public school student in Mississippi with a laptop or tablet, while improving upgrading current technology and wifi access.House Democrat Gregory Holloway of Hazlehurst is on the House Education Committee. He tells our Desare Frazier he hopes the act can help bridge the gap between Mississippi's rural districts and their more affluent counterparts.Segment 2:The latest Millsaps College - Chism Strategies, State of the State Survey comes during a time of heightened public health concerns and economic anxiety. The coronavirus pandemic has set the legislative calendar back months, and a shortfall in revenue means lawmakers will have tough decisions to make when drafting the budget for the next fiscal year. Brannon Miller is the Director of Voter Targeting for Chism Strategies. He says voters are keeping an eye how taxpayer money is being prioritized, and a plurality of them want legislators to protect funding for education. Miller shares this and more results from the survey with our Michael Guidry.Segment 3:For the first time in three years, Mississippi's ranking in the annual Kids Count Data Book decreased - falling from 48th to 49th in 2020. The rank is according to new data released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Children's Foundation of Mississippi. The four domains used in the national rankings include health, education, economic well-being, and family and community. Linda Southward is the Executive Director of the Children's Foundation of Mississippi. She tells us, despite it's low ranking, Mississippi showed improvement in many of the study's indicators. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Terry Brooks shares Kentucky's measurable, but still inadequate, improvements in child well-being as highlighted in Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest KIDS COUNT Data Book, how this data can be used as a guidepost as advocates and decision makers thoughtfully move forward from the immense and disparate impacts of the pandemic, and recommendations to expand opportunities for all Kentucky children to thrive. View the Kentucky State Data Profile Sheet, and read our press release at kyyouth.org.

What can lawmakers do to help children in New Mexico? This week on Generation Justice, we spoke with NM Voices for Children Deputy Director, Amber Wallin, about teen/child well-being in our state and the 2019 KIDS COUNT Data Book. Each year, New Mexico Voices for Children releases the Kids Count data in preparation for the New Mexico State legislative session. Tune in to hear how our kids are doing! As always, you can catch GJ live every Sunday evening at 7 pm on 89.9 KUNM FM, or stream us on KUNM.org

There is a trigger warning for this episode; we do discuss child abuse, substance use, anxiety, and depression, and other similar topics. If these topics are too difficult to listen to, I encourage you to skip this episode. Helen opens up the discussion by talking about MCA’s work towards alleviating poverty in Maine, advocating for vaccinations, and the Maine Kids Count data book they produced with many important statistics that highlight Maine children's mental health, poverty and other health outcomes. Some of the data trends we discuss include the high rates of anxiety, depression and drug exposed infants. We also discuss the importance of early childhood interventions in improving long term health outcomes. On a positive note, Maine is doing a great job getting kids into counseling services, our juvenile justice system has made great strides, and our child poverty rate has declined and specifically, we get into what policy changes have been helping improve this. We conclude our discussion with emphasizing the importance of advocacy work on institutional and micro levels; your voice matters! For questions and comments about this episode, please email me at areedlcsw@gmail.com Important Links: Maine Children's Alliance where you can also find Maine Kids Count Data Book: https://www.mekids.org Kentucky Youth Advocates Podcast: https://kyyouth.org/podcast/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=bf0418d6-751d-42d4-86bd-77a0ba61fc91 Important Child Abuse/Death cases in Maine that have impacted child welfare: https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/health/year-after-10-year-olds-death-maine-dhhs-still-searching-for-solutions/97-c657dbb8-affe-4147-aeeb-d5f700fe6eda https://bangordailynews.com/2019/04/30/news/midcoast/judge-finds-maine-woman-guilty-of-murder-in-death-of-4-year-old/ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/fostercare/marr/ Adverse Childhood Experiences Study: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/aces/fastfact.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviolenceprevention%2Fchildabuseandneglect%2Facestudy%2Faboutace.html Social Emotional Learning Article: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-05-07-why-social-emotional-learning-is-suddenly-in-the-spotlight --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Renee Shaw speaks with Terry Brooks, Ed.D., executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, about the data trends in the 2019 KIDS COUNT Data Book that report on the well-being of Kentucky kids in the areas of economic security, education, health, and family and community.

Renee Shaw speaks with Terry Brooks, Ed.D., executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, about the data trends in the 2019 KIDS COUNT Data Book that report on the well-being of Kentucky kids in the areas of economic security, education, health, and family and community.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2019 national KIDS COUNT® Data Book is out, with Iowa placing third overall in child well-being. At first glance, our state's high ranking suggests most kids in Iowa are faring well — but a deeper dive into the issue clearly shows there remains much work before all kids and families are able to thrive. Join the Center's Anne Discher, Sheila Hansen and Mike Crawford as they unpack the report findings. Show notes: KIDS COUNT links: www.cfpciowa.org/en/data/kids_count/ and www.aecf.org/resources/2019-kids-count-data-book/

Education is one of four areas covered in the 2017 Kids Count Data Book. And even though Kansas ranks 13th nationally in the overall well-being of kids, it ranked 21st in educational outcomes, and 23rd in family and community. The advocacy group, Kansas Action for Kids, says it is a good news-bad news scenario for the state. In the second of a two-part series on the results presented by the Kids Count Data Book, a look at what put Kansas at 13th nationally. Guest: John Wilson, vice president of Advocacy for Kansas Action for Children. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation tracks how well the United States takes care of its kids, using its "Kids Count" data book, in which it annually ranks states on overall child wellbeing. The Kids Count index does that by using four domains to capture what children need most to thrive: economic wellbeing, education, health, and family and community. Now, each of those domains includes four indicators that represent the best available data to measure the status of child wellbeing at the state and national levels.  In the first of a two-part series, Perspective will examine what the "Kids Count Data Book" says about how Americans are currently taking care of their children.     Guest: Laura Speer, associate director for policy reform and advocacy at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and one of the authors of the Kids Count data report.   Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.   K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan.

Elizabeth Burke Bryant, Executive Director of Rhode Island Kids Count #WPRO Information about Rhode Island children is contained in the latest national data book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation http://www.rikidscount.org/

Elizabeth Burke Bryant, Executive Director of Rhode Island Kids Count #WPRO Information about Rhode Island children is contained in the latest national data book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation http://www.rikidscount.org/

It's back-to-school time for many of our nation's children and today we are taking a look at the status of children in our state and across the country. The 2017 Kids Count Data Book, a new report from the Annie E Casey Foundation, ranks all 50 states by measures of Health, Education, Economic Well-Being and more. As more than 16 million American children currently live in poverty, our panel considers how to best meet the challenges that this most vulnerable segment of our population faces. What is the impact on academic performance? How have social policies contributed to the current predicament? Where does Maryland stand in the rankings; and how these obstacles can be overcome through effective policies and social services? Tom is joined in the studio by Patrick McCarthy, president and CEO of the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation; Dr. Camika Royal, assistant professor of Urban Education at Loyola University Maryland and co-director of Loyola’s Center for Innovation in Urban Education; and Becky Wagner, executive director of the Baltimore-based Advocates for Children ---- Youth -- which is the Maryland partner for the Casey Foundation’s Kids Count project.

Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, talks about recent data in the 2017 KIDS COUNT Data Book concerning the well-being of Kentucky kids.

Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, talks about recent data in the 2017 KIDS COUNT Data Book concerning the well-being of Kentucky kids.

Talking about the intersection of information on Hoosier children from the new Kids Count Data Book and the cultural issues IMPD is focusing on to turn the crime of tide in Indianapolis. Our guests will be IMPD Chief Troy Riggs and Andrew Cullen, VP of Public Policy for the United Way of Central Indiana.

Kids Count Data Book 2015 with in studio guestBill Stanczykiewicz, President & CEO, Indiana Youth Institute.