CHFS Community is an award-winning podcast featuring ordinary people doing extraordinary work at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Hosted by Secretary Eric Friedlander and produced by Julianne Hatton, you'll hear inspiring stories from the people who serve every Kentuckian in some way. Join our community so you'll never miss an episode and tell your friends about the show. Until next time, stay healthy Kentucky!
For Chase Barnes, compassion has always been a part of his life. From volunteering in college to serving in the United States Peace Corps in Belize, Chase gravitates toward opportunities to help others. Today, Chase helps Kentuckians in some of their most challenging times in his role as manager of the Kentucky Department for Public Health Harm Reduction Program. From distributing life-saving naloxone to supporting public health professionals in the work of helping steer people with substance use disorder toward recovery, Chase has a role in tackling one of Kentucky’s most important challenges in recent years.
10/30/24 • 34:54
The daughter of an assistant fire chief, Angela Roberts had public service and the ideals of a first responder in her blood. After graduating from the University of Louisville, Angela’s early career focused on disaster response with the American Red Cross. Today, she focuses on individuals in crisis as the 988 program administrator in the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. She shares some of 988’s successes in helping Kentuckians in crisis over the last two years.
10/2/24 • 21:52
Growing up in Harrodsburg, Amanda Heacock thought her future career would be teaching. Her journey through the University of the Cumberlands would take her on another path through a similarly compassionate field – social work. Today, she’s in a role where she’s helping young people learn while also supporting them in their needs outside of school, as Youth Service Center coordinator at Bondurant Middle School in Frankfort. Some days, she’s providing students with moral support; others, she’s helping a family find a new place to live. A few weeks ago, she was helping students with another critical need – shoes.
8/29/24 • 15:36
For more than a decade, Tricia Steward’s work took her to city after city to survey health care facilities. She enjoyed the travel but over time wanted to work closer to home in Kentucky – and it just so happened that an office she cared deeply about needed someone with her expertise to help improve staffing. Recently, Steward agreed to become Acting Inspector General, continuing her work to further build up a team.
8/8/24 • 28:51
Elizabeth Goode grew up in Hopkinsville, the daughter of a physician, and until college she assumed she would follow in his footsteps. But, after reflection, she took a new path, graduating with a master’s in public health from the University of Kentucky. She launched a career working in health care policy and today serves as director of the Kentucky Department for Public Health's Division of Prevention and Quality Improvement. Her focus is on helping Kentuckians take steps that lead to healthy lives so they can reach their full human potential.
7/25/24 • 27:33
Amy Smith was raised in Frankfort and began her state government career with the Department of Revenue. Driven by a passion for working with children and helping families, she joined the Department for Community Based Services in 2014 and is currently serving as a policy and research consultant. Today, we discuss early intervention, evidence-based practices and what it’s like to navigate social services as a single parent. Amy is a doctoral student at the University of the Cumberlands who advocates for education, human services and self-reliance. She also founded Capital Area Autism Parents and is involved in numerous organizations and community initiatives including the Midway Alumni Association, Focus on Race Relations and Capable Ministry at Capital City Christian Church. Her son Brendan is entering Georgetown College in the fall.
5/22/24 • 30:52
Supporting the social, emotional and mental health of young children is a large part of what we do at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Today’s guest, Brittany Barber, oversees the implementation of the statewide early childhood mental health program for the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. We will discuss how Brittany’s education and life experience influenced her impressive career. You’ll also discover why universal training, early intervention and trauma informed care are vital when it comes to the future of Kentucky’s children.
5/9/24 • 21:02
Every day, I hear remarkable stories about the work we do at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. These stories often contain elements of adversity, hope and resilience. I’ve also discovered that every employee at the cabinet has a story that is equally inspiring. Today’s guest, Danita Coulter, is no exception. She is a branch manager for equity and determinants of health at Medicaid Services. This Danville native grew up hearing stories about her ancestors, family ties and the trauma of slavery. These narratives sparked a passion for equity and public service that touches every part of the work she does. We’ll talk about service, compassion and connection, and also reveal some secrets for workplace success in this week’s episode of CHFS Community Podcast.
4/22/24 • 34:55
Today’s guest, Aubrey Mason, is an associate and fiscal grants officer with Serve Kentucky. She began her public service career with the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. This allowed her to get eMARS and other important training that led to her current position. Outside of work, Aubrey has a variety of interests we’ll discuss, including cooking, art, travel and yoga. We also talk about the Governor’s Service Awards, coming up on April 16. This Serve Kentucky partnership with the Office of the Governor highlights the importance of volunteer and national service across the commonwealth. You can find out more about becoming an AmeriCorps member on the program webpage.
4/9/24 • 22:19
The Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs (OCSHCN) has provided comprehensive care to children and youth with special health care needs for 100 years. Today’s guest, Sondra Gilbert, shares her personal journey that began as a OCSHCN client with three special needs children. The Family-to-Family Program Director now matches families with mentor parents who provide emotional support and assistance in finding and accessing information and resources. Sondra is a trailblazer and valued leader at OCSHCN, but more importantly, a friend to those who need services or just someone to talk to.
3/26/24 • 24:59
Today’s conversation is with my longtime colleague and friend, Staci Cain. She is the commissioner for the Department for Income Support (DIS) Disability Determination Services/Child Support Enforcement. We’ll take a trip down memory lane to discuss our humble beginnings, and how hard work and perseverance have enhanced both of our careers and provided much in the way of personal and professional satisfaction. You’ll also learn about the social security disability program and how DIS became the industry standard, with the third lowest processing time in the nation.
3/14/24 • 24:27
On today’s episode, Kendra Steele describes growing up in the coal fields region, becoming an Emmy nominated broadcaster and her path to the Emergency Preparedness Branch. Kendra utilizes her media expertise to spread awareness about public health preparedness. Tune in to hear our impressions and takeaways from the deadly tornadoes in western Kentucky in 2021, and the catastrophic flooding in eastern Kentucky in 2022. For information about how to prepare for disasters, check out Kendra’s monthly articles in the employee newsletter and click on ready.gov.
1/30/24 • 26:07
Jennifer Dudinskie was raised in Spencer County and went on to graduate from Eastern Kentucky University with a double major in music and elementary education. Beginning as a Medicaid services specialist, she has come full circle in the span of 20 years as the director of program integrity. Today, we discuss her inspiring career path, management style and expertise in identifying fraud, waste and abuse. Jennifer also shares with our listeners some interesting life lessons and her enthusiasm for yoga, health and wellness practices.
1/15/24 • 29:14
Food safety is something we take for granted, until there is a food-borne illness or outbreak. The Food Safety Branch at Public Health makes sure our food products stay safe. This includes grocery stores, restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes and other locations where food is available to Kentuckians. Today’s guest, Mark Reed, is the food safety branch manager. He began his career in environmental health as a food safety inspector with a local health department. You won’t want to miss his fascinating stories along with some impressive accomplishments here and abroad. I guarantee you’ll never take food safety for granted again.
1/3/24 • 28:05
How does one begin to tell the story of Medicaid? It is a state and federal program that provides health care for eligible populations. But there’s so much more to Medicaid than programs and services. Medicaid is about individuals: children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities. Today’s guest Beth Fisher manages communications for the Department for Medicaid Services. We discuss her life in Oil Springs, journalism career and 18-year anniversary with the cabinet. We also talk about the benefits of Medicaid, including improved health care access, lower medical costs and the ability to fill medical coverage gaps in rural areas. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did, while gaining an even greater appreciation of how Medicaid benefits Kentuckians.
11/28/23 • 26:49
I first met Jason Bagley when I was chief resilience officer at Louisville Metro government. Together, we advocated on behalf of homeless individuals and families who were facing tremendous obstacles. Today we discuss his path from the foothills of Mt. Hood, Ore., to the circus, and then to the city of Louisville where he worked at a homeless shelter for 21 years. Bagley is currently the BHDID program manager in the Adult Mental Health and Recovery Services Branch at the Division of Mental Health. We’ll share what we have learned firsthand about trauma, resilience and how to best advocate for Kentuckians who are displaced.
11/28/23 • 39:29
Storytelling is an important part of what we do at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Sharing genuine stories about our lives and the Kentuckians we serve boosts morale and builds trust. Today’s guest Susan Dunlap is Executive Director in the Office of Public Affairs. As spokesperson for the largest cabinet in state government she brings common sense and C-suite experience to the conversation. Tune in to find out what we’ve discovered about successful and not-so-successful communication strategies, along with some heartfelt stories of our own.
11/1/23 • 42:50
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is ideal for a conversation with Chief Privacy Officer Kathleen Hines in the Office of Legal Services. Raised in the south end of Louisville, she was a French language and literature major at Rhodes College in Memphis and attended law school at Case Western Reserve University. After graduating from law school, Hines began her legal career as a prosecutor in the juvenile division at the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office before coming to CHFS. Today, we discuss cybersecurity and the superheroes behind the scenes who protect private information at the cabinet. The Commonwealth Office of Technology encourages you to be aware of the latest cybersecurity technologies to stay safe and secure online. Our security and privacy teams are available to assist you with work-related questions and concerns about information security and privacy.
10/17/23 • 18:24
Kentucky Medicaid is a state and federal program authorized by Title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide health care for eligible, low-income populations. This population comprises around 1.6M children, low-income families, pregnant women, the aged and those who are disabled. Today’s guest works behind the scenes as an important part of the Medicaid team. Meagan Hart received her undergraduate degree at Midway College and MBA at Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, Ala. Today, we discuss how she came to state government, the importance of teamwork and why flexibility and communication are important traits for cabinet employees to strive for.
10/3/23 • 17:22
Greta Greenwade Jones, Ed.D., is assistant director in the Program Integrity Division at the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. Born number 12 out of 13 children, she was raised in a loving home with a single mother in Western Kentucky. In today’s episode, we discuss Greta’s family life, career path and passion for volunteerism beginning at age nine. I personally consider it a blessing to wake up every morning with the opportunity to change somebody’s life through work and am grateful for the vast number of employees, like Greta, who exemplify this at CHFS.
9/20/23 • 27:29
Did you know that almost 185,000 people in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2023? Most patients do not have a fully matched, healthy donor in their family and have to depend on national registries for bone marrow donations. A group of employees from the Office of Data Analytics are doing something about this. Ben Duncan, Reagan Gaetz and Darby Todd are raising awareness about how ordinary people can register to donate bone marrow and blood stem cells. On today’s episode, Darby and I talk with Be The Match Representative Dannielle Moore about how easy it is to provide hope and save lives by volunteering or becoming a donor for a patient seeking a match.
9/6/23 • 13:45
Wanda Hartley is the longest serving employee at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. After a diligent and productive career, she is retiring with almost 50 years at the cabinet. Hartley remembers the days of mimeographing, copying letters with a noisy hand-cranked machine and stamping envelopes. Today, we are rebroadcasting our 2020 conversation about her journey from single mother of two with the work incentive program to office support assistant at the Department for Community Based Services in Newport. Hartley says her favorite parts of the job are when there is reunification with families, and when she feels she played a part in helping people get through their problems. Having the opportunity to work with people like Wanda has been the highlight of my career. We wish her a happy retirement with contentment and good health.
8/24/23 • 19:19
Born in Germany to a military family, Kyra Dailey lived in Oklahoma and Texas before landing in Frankfort, Ky. at age 10. After graduating from Midway College, she accepted a job at the Kentucky Community Crisis Response Board and was later hired at the Kentucky Department for Public Heath following graduate school. In today’s episode we discuss the extraordinary process of finding one’s niche in the face of adversity, and how a simple task like managing a website could affect millions of lives for the better.
8/16/23 • 30:09
Today’s discussion is about what we did right during COVID-19 and the amazing team behind our success. Dr. Keith Knapp arrived at the cabinet with 37 years of practice as a licensed nursing home administrator from managing stand-alone skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, to leading continuing care retirement communities. When many states were paralyzed with fear by the pandemic, Keith helped to assemble a team of high functioning experts including academic leaders, medical directors, representation from AARP and even a medical ethicist. Our focus was on saving lives, and the broader medical community affirmed our decisions at every step. In this edition of CHFS Community Podcast we discuss recent accomplishments, the future of long-term care and the groundbreaking potential of Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).
8/3/23 • 31:43
Kentucky’s community health workers (CHW) have connected clinics with communities since 1994. These public health advocates provide access to medical, social and environmental services while striving to overcome health inequities. Laura A. Eirich, M.P.H., manages the Kentucky Office of Community Health Workers. On today’s episode we discuss her educational journey, year of service with AmeriCorps and the CHW program. Whether working with hospitals, non-profits or managed care, CHWs are as exceptional as the communities they serve. Tune in to discover the tremendous impact of CHWs across the state.
7/18/23 • 25:45
Taban Herrington brings a unique perspective to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. While growing up, her father’s job took the family to Mexico to build self-sustaining communities. At times, the family lived without electricity and running water. This and other experiences deepened her empathy and commitment to help others in meaningful ways. Herrington’s family later moved to the U.S., where she graduated from high school and obtained a master’s degree in risk and crisis communication. More recently, her efforts helped provide immediate assistance to hospitals during the pandemic and contributed to jumpstarting future public health careers. Herrington is currently “living her dream” as chief of staff at the Kentucky Department for Public Health. In today’s episode we discuss grit, community service, and how public health came together during a worldwide pandemic.
7/5/23 • 32:52
Sarah Cooper is executive director at the Office of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs (OLRA) with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Her state government career began in Protection and Permanency at the Department for Community Based Services before moving to OLRA as a policy analyst and staff assistant. Today, we discuss her current role in the legislative and regulatory process and what happens within the cabinet when a bill is passed by the legislature.
6/22/23 • 29:09
Steve Cambron is a program administrator for the Purple Star Program in Kentucky. On the Friday episode before Memorial Day, we discuss the importance of supporting military-connected children in their diverse communities across the state. Son of a Korean war veteran, Cambron was raised in a Louisville neighborhood along the Ohio River called Rubbertown. After high school, he spent over 10 years in France before completing a master’s degree at the University of Louisville. While working at the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, he became involved in addressing the needs of military-connected youth through a federal grant and launched Kentucky's Purple Star Program in 2021. The program has grown to include 42 schools in 13 counties across the state. Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting and defending our country. Please keep our soldiers and their families in mind this weekend.
5/24/23 • 30:28
I often say, “All means all y’all,” and today’s episode reminds listeners that every Kentuckian deserves to be part of a caring community, despite our differences. My guest, Vestena S. Robbins, is a senior executive advisor in the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. Raised in Bell County, her Berea College experience ignited a passion for research, innovation and evidence-based practices. Robbins went on to receive a doctorate in Child and Family Research and Policy from the University of South Florida and has worked in children’s mental health for over 30 years. We discuss her personal journey, professional vision and newfound perspective as a client of services provided through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
5/9/23 • 37:48
As we work to improve the health of all Kentuckians, vaccines are a key part of the process. Vaccines are safe and scientifically proven to protect the individual who receives the vaccine as well as families, friends and communities that interact together. Amy Herrington, RN, is the clinical team manager for the Department for Public Health Immunization Branch. In addition to raising six children, she has spent many years as a certified emergency nurse and nurse educator. Since day one, her career has been driven by a desire to help others and provide a voice for those who do not have one. Today we discuss the importance of education, availability and collaboration in the elimination of vaccine preventable diseases throughout the commonwealth.
4/26/23 • 26:19
