Supporting Healthier Communities for Older Adults and Families

Father's Grieving the Loss of Their Sons and the Support Group That Saved Them

In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, host Nancy Barrow talks to father's who have lost sons suddenly and are struggling mentally with their loss. June is Men's Health Month. Men's mental health is a critical issue, with significant statistics highlighting the challenges they face, including higher rates of suicide and mental illness compared to women. Black Men Grieve Different is a Hartford area support group that provides a safe, culturally affirming space for black men to process grief, build connection, and heal together. Amos Lys is a licensed therapist, community builder and ordained minister. He helps the men in the support group to process their grief. Community organizer Derrick Cranford and his wife created Black Men Grieve Different to help with his own grief after losing his son Derrick Junior suddenly and to help others. Derrick has been friends with well-known radio personality DJ BiggMann from Hot 93.7.  BiggMann lost his son PJ in May of 2023, just 5 months before Derrick lost his son. They discuss the tragedies and how they picked up the pieces and helped each other as they struggled emotionally and how they found solace in a support group. Black Men Grieve Different is a safe space for men to let their emotions out and to start the healing process. Amos talked about the value of CT Paid Leave, and how it can give the gift of time off from your job so you can focus on your own mental health and the healing process. To get in touch with Amos Lys, please visit his website LYS Counseling & Consulting, LLC | Licensed Therapist in Manchester [https://lyscounseling.com/] (LYScounseling.com) To find out more about Black men Grieve Different please visit, Black Men Grieve Different - Virtual Tickets, Multiple dates | Eventbrite [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-men-grieve-different-virtual-tickets-1980519477070?msockid=38e748399f17643835c25e389e9d65ff]   or to get in touch with Derrick Cranford please visit Cranfordinc@outlook.com [Cranfordinc@outlook.com]  You can message BiggMann on Instagram about Black Men Grieve Different. Please visit, https://www.instagram.com/djbiggmann (djbiggmann) For Information or to apply for benefits please visit https://www.ctpaidleave.org/?language=en_US (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]

Supporting Healthier Communities for Older Adults and Families

In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, host Nancy Barrow talks with the Connecticut Bureau of Aging, which is part of the Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS). In the podcast, she introduces three experts — Jennifer Switalski, Jodi Brazal, and Meghan Brady — who work with Connecticut's aging population. They discuss the challenges faced by older adults, including loneliness and mental health issues, as well as the importance of respite care for caregivers. They highlight the growing need for support as the population ages, with one in four Connecticut residents over 60. The conversation also touches on the financial and legal aspects of caregiving, the role of assistive technology, and the importance of early planning and communication with families. They also discuss how Connecticut Paid Leave can benefit the aging working population with health issues by providing time off for medical appointments, as well as the importance of taking time off for caregivers who are helping a loved one with early-onset dementia. They add that the program can also help caregivers take time away from work while still receiving income replacement. For more information about Aging in Connecticut please visit Department of Aging and Disability Services [https://portal.ct.gov/ads?language=en_US] For information or to apply for benefits please visit CT Paid Leave [https://www.ctpaidleave.org/?language=en_US] (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 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]