The Paid Leave Podcast

A National Researcher Talks About the Benefits and Business of Paid Leave

In this Episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, Host Nancy Barrow talks to a researcher about the benefits of paid leave. Jessica Mason is the Senior Policy Analyst for Economic Justice at the National Partnership for Women & Families. There she oversees in-house research and data analysis, tracks developments in academic and other research and develops advocacy resources related to the workplace and economic security agenda. Jessica talked about how paid leave has evolved and hopes that we will get a national paid leave policy. Mason talks about her research involving Connecticut Paid Leave, noting that now men take about 49% of parental leaves, a significant gender equity achievement. She also discusses the broader impact of paid leave on maternal health, particularly for black women, who often face systemic challenges. Mason emphasizes the importance of community engagement and technical assistance in implementing such programs effectively. The conversation also touches on the need for a national paid leave policy and the economic benefits for small businesses. Jessica shares her excitement about recent research findings that demonstrate the long-term benefits of paid leave, including reduced healthcare costs and improved public health outcomes. For information about the National Partnership for Women and Families please visit: Home Page | National Partnership for Women & Families [https://nationalpartnership.org/] For information about benefits please visit: CT Paid Leave [https://www.ctpaidleave.org/?language=en_US] https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US [https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US] https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave [https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.instagram.com/ctpaidleave/ [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave]

Preventing Sexual Violence and Creating Support for Survivors and Families

Approximately 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 boys or men experience attempted or sexual assault in the USA. In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we are talking about sexual violence and assault because April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. I have two women who work in this space joining me to talk about this. Beth Hamilton, the Executive Director of the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the statewide coalition of community-based sexual assault crisis services programs. And Sharon Walker Epps the Chief Executive Officer of The Rowan Center in Stamford and covers lower Fairfield County. The Rowan Center is part of the Alliance and exists to prevent sexual violence and other trauma, respond to crisis when harm occurs, and support adult and youth survivors on their path to healing. Beth explains the work of the Connecticut Alliance, including policy advocacy, training, and direct service to survivors. She describes the unique services provided by the Alliance, such as legal representation and post-conviction advocacy. Sharon provides an overview of the Rowan Center's services, including crisis response, counseling, and education. She highlights the efforts of the Rowan Center to educate parents and provide resources through the Kids Safe HQ initiative. They both talk about their own personal stories of sexual violence and abuse and are passionate about the hard work they do. They both support CT Paid Leave as an important tool they can use for their own workers and clients who use safe leave. For more information visit The Alliance to End Sexual Violence, https://endsexualviolencect.org (endsexualviolencect.org) Phone: 860-282-9881 - For information visit the Rowan Center, https://therowancenter.org (therowancenter.org) Phone: 203-348-9346 For information or to apply for benefits like safe leave, please visit ctpaidleave.org https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US [https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US] https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave [https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.instagram.com/ctpaidleave/ [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave]

How a Maternal Health Blueprint Plans to Help Black Mothers Survive and Thrive

In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we speak with the two women who helped to craft the Maternal Health Equity: A Blueprint for Connecticut. We speak with Tiffany Donelson, the President and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation, and with Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, the Associate Dean for Health Equity Research and the Director of Equity Research and Innovation Center at Yale. (ERIC) April it is National Minority Health Month, it’s also Black Maternal Health Week is April 11th-17th, and it is National Public Health Week from April 6th-12th. Black women in Connecticut are much more likely to experience severe maternal morbidity, and the state ranks 35th in the nation. Tiffany and Marcella discuss how they created the Maternal Health Equity Blueprint. Tiffany expresses pride in the blueprint's comprehensive approach and the inclusion of diverse voices. Marcella emphasizes the importance of awareness and engagement in addressing maternal health disparities. They both discuss that black women in Connecticut are twice as likely to experience severe maternal morbidity compared to white women. The blueprint aims to address these disparities through policy changes, community engagement, and leveraging existing resources like Connecticut's Paid Leave program. They emphasize the importance of economic security and job protection for maternal health outcomes. To read about the Maternal Health Equity: A Blueprint for Connecticut, go to CT Health releases blueprint for maternal health equity in Connecticut | CT Health Foundation [https://www.cthealth.org/latest-news/news-releases/ct-blueprint-maternal-health-equity/] For more information about CEO Tiffany Donelson at the CT Health Foundation please go to Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) | Changing Health [https://www.cthealth.org/]Systems (cthealth.org) For information about the Equity and Innovation Center (ERIC) please go to Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) | Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) [https://medicine.yale.edu/internal-medicine/genmed/eric/] For more information about Dr, Marcella Nunez-Smith please go to Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, MHS | Yale School of Medicine [https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/marcella-nunez-smith/] For more information or to apply for benefits please go to www.ctpaidleave.org https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US [https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US] https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave [https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.instagram.com/ctpaidleave/ [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave]

A Doctor is Helping Women Get Healthier and Using Social Media as a Tool

In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we are talking to a doctor who is a social media influencer about her expertise in telehealth. March is Women’s Health Month and International Women's Day is March 8th, and my guest is a leader in women’s health and longevity medicine. Dr Tania Elliott is dual board certified in Internal Medicine and Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Dr. Elliott embraced telemedicine first as a physician, and then as Medical Director of Doctors on Demand. She is currently Chief Medical Officer of Virtual Care at Ascension, one of the largest healthcare systems in the country including 150 hospitals in 20 states. She serves regularly as a healthcare broadcast media expert and is featured on top shows including Good Morning America, Rachael Ray, Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, The Doctors, and CBS This Morning. She has over 250 million likes on her social media platforms. Dr. Elliott discusses the importance of paid leave programs like Connecticut's for new parents. She highlights the benefits of extended leave for bonding with babies and prenatal care. She emphasizes the long-term impact of postpartum care and the need for extended support. To follow Dr. Tania Elliott Dr. Tania Elliott | Doctor [https://www.taniaelliottmd.com/] Follow Dr. Tania Elliott on social media on Facebook @TaniaElliott on Instagram @drtaniaelliott on Tik Tok @drtaniaelliott For more information or to apply for benefits visit ctpaidleave.org https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US [https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US] https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave [https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.instagram.com/ctpaidleave/ [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave]

A Mother Raises Awareness and Advocates for Her Son and Others with Down Syndrome

In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we speak with Kandi Pickard, the CEO of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). Down Syndrome Awareness Week is celebrated across the world from March 15 to March 21 every year. The purpose of the week is to create awareness about individuals with Down syndrome and the difficulties they might face in their lives.  About 5,000 babies are born every year in the USA with Down syndrome. Due to advances in medical technology, individuals with Down syndrome are living longer than ever before. With 80 percent living past 60 years old. In March it is also National Developmental Disabilities Awareness month. Kandi Pickard provides vision and leadership, working collaboratively with individuals and organizations like CT Laid Leave, to support the entire Down syndrome community.  Kandi’s involvement in the Down syndrome community first started as a local volunteer and advocate after her youngest son, Mason was born with Down syndrome. Ten years later, she leads NDSS with a focus on building community and keeping people with Down syndrome at the center of everything the organization does. Kandi says that CT Paid Leave is a great resource for caregivers, and for those with chronic health conditions. She says the flexibility to take time and be allowed varying lengths of leave aligns with the mission of the NDSS. To get in Touch with NDSS please go to their website: National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) [https://ndss.org/] For questions or to apply for benefits please go to our website: CT Paid Leave [https://www.ctpaidleave.org/?language=en_US] https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US [https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US] https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave [https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.instagram.com/ctpaidleave/ [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave [https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave] https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave]