Open Doors

Stop the Judgment

After losing their daughter Sienna, Sherry Jo Matt and Tom Bott turned their grief into action, creating the Stop the Judgment Project to help students break stigma, build empathy, and start honest conversations about mental health and substance use. Join us for this powerful conversation about compassion, connection, and creating safer spaces for young people to be supported.

Transforming Teen Mental Health

Teen mental health in the U.S. is in crisis — and the time for change is now. In this episode, Sarah Pesi, a policy specialist at the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, discusses how Pennsylvania is reimagining mental health support by empowering young voices. Sarah is joined by youth advocates Joy and Aanya, who share their own experiences and the hope they’re building for the next generation.

Mindfulness in Motion

What if wellness spaces truly welcomed everyone? For nearly a decade, Marissa Vogel has been helping make that possible in Pittsburgh — teaching mindfulness through movement and art while centering people living with disabilities. Marissa and her team are building spaces where people feel seen, celebrated, and supported. In this episode, she shares why belonging should never be out of reach.

The SEL Movement

Dr. Shannon Wanless from the University of Pittsburgh is helping lead a countywide movement to make social-emotional learning everyone’s responsibility. In this episode, she shares how supporting the adults who care for kids is key to building belonging and creating a system of support for every child.

Beyond Public Health

The Allegheny County Health Department is going beyond traditional public health — helping shape the future of our schools and communities. In the inaugural episode of Open Doors, Kim Joyce shares how a powerful partnership with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit is strengthening mental health supports and changing what's possible for students across the county.