In today's podcast I chat with Zack Wilson, and his parents Anne Marie and Tom Wilson. Zack is an individual with Down syndrome, a recent graduate of Eagle Access here in Dyersburg TN, an avid CrossFit competitor and an artist. He will he hosting his first art exhibition at McIvers Grant Public Library in Dyersburg TN on November 6, 2025 from 4 - 6 PM.
Please come see us if you can!
Today's episode is a great conservation with Maleia Evans from the Authentically You Network Podcast.I chat with Maleia about how her concept for 31 in 31: Conversations with Proverbs 31 women - a series she launched on her podcast.
I often get asked about the origin story of Raising Kellan. I am super grateful to Maleia for telling our story on Episode 8 of the 31 in 31 series centered on faith and family.
Here are your links to listen.
Watch on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/31in31Ep8MarshNaidoo
Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/31in31Ep8MarshNaidooSpotify
*** Please note that an event discussed in this episode that was scheduled for Oct 11th has been postponed***
Steve Chatman is Vice President of Rising Above Ministries and host of the Rising Above Dads Podcast. Steve and his wife Lori have five children and four grandchildren. Steve is a special-needs dad as two of his children are living with Down Syndrome. Steve spent 30 years in church ministry before joining Rising Above Ministries in 2022. He loves encouraging and equipping families and churches. In this episode we chat about:
Timeline:
00:46 Introduction and Steve's Bio.
02:46 Rising Above Ministries
04:00 Weekend Respite Program By the Brook & Base Camp.
06:00 How do wives give permission for husbands to rest. "What special needs dads want you to know but don't
tell you about"
11:26 Communication between partners. How do you ask for a break or respite?
15:15 Find 30 minutes a week (suggestive but by no means minimum) to connect regard scheduling and updating partners
17: 00 Rising Above Dads Podcast
22:00 Conclusion
Related Episode 146
We have exactly two weeks till U.S. Values and the Constitution, a free 4 part series taking place at McIvers Grant Public Library from Sept 11, 2025 to October 2, 2025- 5:30 to 6:30 PM.
In today's episode Mary Palmer and Marsh Naidoo chat with some of the student leadership namely: Mickie Thach and Myren Hurst about their roles in the program.
Timeline from unedited podcast:
3:35 Introductions
4: 28 Why did y'all decide to get involved with this program?
10: 59 What is something adults need to know about how students see history?
13:11 Prior to planning for series how much background did y'all have on the founding documents.
18: 03 What are the current Issues on young people's minds.
20: 00 Flip the Script - Students ask the questions.
20:04 How did this program come about?
22:24 What are your current perspectives about the U.S?
29: 03 Students perspective of meeting with Dr Stafford.
31:05 Conclusion
N.B: Lillian Davis is an integral part of student leadership. She was covering an event for her school paper at the time of the interview. We look forward to our post series interview!
In today's episode I chat with Clare Saum, Marketing Director at Discovery Park of America about an exciting upcoming event: Pediatric Day. This day connects families with a wealth of local resources and services to support children’s health, learning and well-being.
• When: Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Where: Discovery Park of America (Union City, Tennessee)
• What’s happening: Vendors and organizations will be located throughout the park with information and fun, hands-on activities for families. Children can pick up a passport, collect a sticker from each organization and receive a fun activity prize when completed.
• Admission highlight: Thanks to our sponsor, Pediatric Place of Union City, and Dr John Bates admission for children ages 17 and under is covered that day.Key messages
• Follow Discovery Park of America on Facebook and Instagram for updates @discoveryparkuc
Marsh Naidoo, Mary Palmer, and Dr. Matthew Stafford chat about a four-part series on U.S. values and the Constitution that Dr. Stafford will be teaching at the McIvers Grant Public Library in Dyersburg, Tennessee. The series will cover the history and values behind the U.S. Constitution, with the aim of inspiring pride and hope in the audience by connecting them to the American story. The sessions will take place on Thursdays from September 11 to October 2, and will include a mixed media art contest where the public can submit their visions of "My America". Local students will also be involved in supporting the educational experience.
Timeline of the podcast:
1: 40 Dr Matthew Stafford’s origin story.
4: 00 What is the relevance of history, how this is chronicled and how is it relayed from generation to generation?
5: 34 Was there a particular moment or mentor that sparked your interest in history or education Dr Stafford?
8: 27 In a world where you are constantly bombarded with information, what would be your advice on referencing validated sources of history?
10:52 So how do you handle the messy parts of history?
12:51 Tell us more about the four part series US values and the Constitution and the outline of what you will be teaching?
17:00 What do you hope people will still think about when they leave the library each week?
19:38 Logistics of the Series
Keep updated on the Series by following our Facebook event page.
This series is made possible thanks to an incredible lineup of the following community partners:
On today's episode, Kate Mudge leads the discussion centered on Care Farming and the collaborative network. Please check out their interactive website. https://carefarmingnetwork.org/
Timeline:
01:54 Introductions
3:08 Origin Story and the Red Wiggler
6:00 Care Farming Network Conference
8:23 Old School Farm in Nashville
10:30 Benefits of Care Farm Models to Rural Communities
13:41 How to contact Kate
17:33 Big Dream (1 Care Farm in every county in the US)
At present, there are 338 farms in the network - 3000 counties in the US!
Be sure to check out Episode 132 with Nathan Fields and Jason van Wulven from Plant for a Change.
Call the US Capitol at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak to your Congress Representative.
On June 14, 2025, we were in Cookeville, TN, to participate in the Special Needs Resource Fair at Vine Branch Church. We got to chat with families, exhibitors, and service providers, including:
Dawn Fry - Attorney at Law
Selena Stewart with Omni Family of Services.
Ashley McCloud with WorkAble TN
Blake Shearer with the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities
Jessica Moreles with Tennessee Caregiver Coalition
Kristie Kirby with Structured Athletics for Challenged Children (SACC)
Heidi Clopton with the Center of Development - Pediatric Therapies
Trent Mills with TN Start
Julie West and Clara with the Down Syndrome Association of Middle TN
Jenna Clarin with Autism TN and Sensory Kids Life.
Stephanie Hawkins with CASA of the TN Valley
Steve Chatman with Rising Above Ministries.
Today I chat with Torben Jensen. He is the Ministry Relations Manager for Joni and Friends in Nashville, TN. His job focuses on helping churches of all shapes and sizes become better at including and serving families affected by disability.
Timeline of our conversation:
01:30 Torben's origin story
02:40 Joni & Friends and its beginnings. The Story of Joni Eareckson Tada.
05: 00 Programs and the Outreach Ministry
10:00 Physical vs Emotional or Relational Barriers for families experiencing disabilities and the Church
16:15 Summer Camps at Joni & Friends
22: 00 Words of encouragement and Conclusion
You can contact Torben at torben.jensen@joniandfriends.org
Jessica Ronne is an author, speaker, podcast host at Coffee with Caregivers, associate producer of the documentary "Unseen", and caregiver advocate. She is the founder and executive director of The Lucas Project, a non-profit dedicated to providing recognition, resources, and respite support for special needs families.
She and her husband, Ryan live in Michigan with their 8 children, including their son Lucas, who has profound disabilities. Her story of beauty from ashes has been shared on The Today Show, Daily Mail, and Huffington Post, and is detailed in her memoir Sunlight Burning at Midnight. To follow the ongoing saga, she can be found at www.jessplusthemess.com or purchase her latest books, Blended with Grit & Grace, Lovin’ with Grit & Grace, and Caregiving with Grit & Grace.
Timeline
3:00 Introduction to Jess Ronne
4:36 How to ask for help as a parent and the value of consistent respite to fill your cup as a caregiver.
6:21 Where is the Village?
7:05 The Lucac Project
9:00 Coffee with Caregivers - Marsh's highlight, Episode 62 with Alice Foran.
10:00 The Intersection of Faith and Grief.
12:24 The documentary Unseen and the upcoming documentary Uncertain.
14: Jess's words of encouragement.
In Episode 143, Megan Schwalm chats to us about the Tennessee Caregiver Coalition and how this nonprofit provides support to over 1 million caregivers in Tennessee.
Timeline of our conversation:
00:00 Introduction
01:36 How did Megan come into her role as President and CEO at Tennessee Caregiver Coalition?
04:42 Definition of Respite.
07:00 Programs offered by TCC include the respite voucher program, a consumer-directed reimbursement for services delivered for respite care. TCC offers opportunities for caregivers to get together, including virtual and in-person events.
10:00 Policy Changes and how this impacts Medicaid and the Administration of Community Living (ACL through the Lifespan Respite Program, which funds the work done by TCC).
14:00 How can we advocate?
16:00 Conclusion
In this conversation, I chat with Kristie Kirby, whom I met at Partners in Policy-Making, a leadership program held by the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disability. This is a free 8 month advocacy training program.
Timeline of conversation
1:00 Introduction
2:00 Kristie is a teacher's assistant.
2:12 What is SACC?
4:00 How does the SACC program work?
5:15 Recruiting Volunteers
6:00 Upcoming Resource Fair
7:00 Exhibitors
12:00 The Resource Fair will be at the Vine Branch Church, 2262 Bowser Rd, Cookeville, on June 14 from 10 am to 2 pm
You can reach Kristie Kirby at sacccookeville@gmail.com
In today's episode, we chat with Leo Cuello, J.D., a Research Professor at the Center for Children and Families in the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.
Leo helps us understand what Medicaid is and the roles it performs as the U.S. largest health coverage program.
Timeline of the conversation:
2:00 What is Medicaid and how does it impact the disability community? What services does Medicaid cover?
7:00 Medicaid pays 60% of the long-term care, covering nursing homes and 70% of the home and community-based services.
10:00 Medicaid is known by different names in different States, and eligibility criteria for each program may vary. For example in Tennessee, Medicaid is known as Tenncare.
20:00 Home and Community-based waivers or exemptions
25:23 Funding and how does money flow from the Federal to the State level (federal matching dollars per State . According to HUD Exchange, Tennessee receives $1.86 for each healthcare dollar it spends).
36:00 What is Medicaid Expansion? (States not currently enrolled in this program include: AL, FL, GA, KS, MS, SC, TN, TX, WI, WY)
37:00 Implications of Medicaid Cuts for Rural Communities?
41:00 Misinformation that Medicaid Cuts will not affect individuals with disabilities
44:00 What is Fraud, Waste, and Abuse as it relates to healthcare?
51:00 What does Medicaid cuts mean for healthcare providers?
How do States adjust for Medicaid cuts?
1) Change eligibility criteria
2) Change program coverage
3)Cut provider rates
56:00 Call to Action.
Contact your Congress Representative and Senator to tell them what Medicaid means to your family. You can find representatives at the following links: https://www.house.gov/ or https://www.senate.gov/.
If you are comfortable with making a call, contact your representative at the US Capitol Building (202) 224- 3121 and respectfully speak or leave a message advocating for #NoCutsToMedicaid.
Arkansas Health Care
CaliforniaMedi-Cal
ColoradoHealth First Colorado
Connecticut Husky Health
DelawareDelaware Medicaid
Florida Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
GeorgiaGeorgia Medicaid
IllinoisIllinois Medicaid
IowaIowa Medicaid
KentuckyKentucky Medicaid
MaineMaineCare
MarylandMaryland Medicaid
MassachusettsMassHealth
MichiganMichigan Medicaid
MinnesotaMinnesota Family Care
MontanaMontana Medicaid
NebraskaNebraska Medicaid
NevadaNevada Medicaid
New HampshireNH Medicaid
New JerseyNew Jersey Medicaid
New Mexico New Mexico Medicaid
New York New York Medicaid
North Carolina Medicaid
North Dakota North Dakota Medicaid
Jessica Awsumb and Hilary Travers are co-leads at Transition Tennessee
Timeline:
2:15 Introduction
3:15 Hilary's work at Perkins School of the Blind and what led her to Vanderbilt and transitional planning
5:00 Jessica's pathway to transitional training and employment for students with IDD.
8:13 How do we prepare for transitions (legal and evidence-based practice), which starts at Age 14 in TN. Key points mentioned:
- 4 future goals in transitional planning are: post-secondary education, employment, community involvement, and community living.
- A Course of Study (9th to 12th grade) is a selection of classes that are needed and individualized to a student to reach their post-secondary goals.
- Annual goal to build competency for life skills.
- Transition Services- a coordinated set of outcome-based activities to supplement after-school goals ( assigned to parent or third-party provider).
18:00 Job Exploration- What would you like to do for work? Your areas of interest? Explore the skills needed for the job in the community.
21:14 Thinking about employment as a family.
23:09 Support of job coaching vs natural supports- team-based approach.
28:24 Job experiences and work-based learning: rural vs urban. What are students' skills? What is their motivation? What are their supports? It will influence their experience. Another consideration is full vs part-time, self-employed.
32:27 VR for formal supports, faith communities are informal supports (these are non-paid opportunities), the Chamber of Commerce, who know the local businesses, and career fairs.
35:00 CTE courses are based on local community needs assessment, and if they align with students' interests, this is a great way for students to gain job skills.
37: 00 Helpful Resources: https://transitiontn.org/ Empowering Youth with Vision Impairments - free resources
I am excited to introduce you to Abby McCage, who will be one of our presenters at the upcoming Resource Ability Employment Expo to be held on May 7 at the Lannom Center in Dyersburg, TN, from 9- noon.
Hello, my name is Abby McCage, and I am a young woman with a disability who is passionate about advocating for accessibility, inclusion, and equal opportunities. My personal experiences with disability have shaped my understanding of the world and fueled my desire to create change. I believe that everyone should have the chance to participate fully in society, regardless of ability. Through advocacy, I strive to raise awareness, challenge stereotypes, and empower others with disabilities to find their voices. My goal is to inspire and remind people that disability is just one part of who we are — it doesn’t define us, and it certainly doesn’t limit our potential.
In this episode, I chat with Emily Moscoe about Catalyst Sports.
Timeline:
1:30 Introduction to Emily Moscoe and her involvement with Catalyst Sports
3:34 Gol Ball
5:00 Catalyst Sports origin story
8:40 What does adaptive hiking/camping look like
Freedom Chair
12:00 Overview of Catalyst Sports Programs
14: 00 Great Smoky Mountains Bike Program
14: 50 Contact Information and Conclusion
Marsh Naidoo welcomes self-advocate Peach Chinratanalab and Milton Neuenschwande from the Department of Disability and Aging for an engaging discussion on the transformative power of technology in the lives of individuals with disabilities.
Peach, a dedicated co-trainer at My Tech for All, shares her experiences and insights on enabling technology to enhance independence and improve daily living skills. From smart microwaves that respond to voice commands to air tags, Peach highlights the importance of accessible tech solutions.
Milton explains the role of the DDA in promoting enabling technology and the exciting developments in the field. Listeners will learn about various tools available for individuals of all ages, including smartwatches that assist with daily routines and innovative applications that foster social interaction and skill development.
00:00 Introduction
02:42 Milton is the State Director of Enabling Technology for DDA
06:03 Peach is a co-trainer at My Tech for All.
07:57 Milton: Peach has a smart microwave that works with Alexa and Google
13:55 Technology is always evolving, right?
16:10 The Department of Disability and Aging has a website for enabling technology
19:07 Smart Home Models in Tennessee.
Don't miss the upcoming Resource Ability Employment Expo on May 7th in Dyersburg, Tennessee, where you can discover more resources for individuals with disabilities!
In Episode 136 of Raising Kellan, Marsh Naidoo sits down with Lindsey Lind from East Tennessee to discuss their shared experiences in the Partners in PolicyMaking program, a leadership initiative by the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Lindsey, a dedicated mother of three, shares her journey navigating the complexities of disability advocacy, particularly focusing on her son who has an extra male chromosome, autism, and ADHD. This episode dives deep into the importance of understanding Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, which protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in various settings including education and healthcare.
Listeners will learn about Axys, a nonprofit organization supporting families affected by sex chromosome variations, and the implications of the Texas vs Becerra lawsuit that threatens to undermine these critical protections for persons with disabilities. Lindsey emphasizes the need for parents to be informed and proactive in advocating for their children's rights within the educational system, including understanding the differences between IEPs and 504 plans.
Join us for this enlightening conversation, which will highlight the urgency of advocacy in the face of proposed federal changes and the vital role of community support in ensuring that all children receive the accommodations they need to thrive. Don't miss the upcoming Disability Day on the Hill on March 12th, 2025, where you can make your voice heard!
00:00 Introduction
03:53 Lindsey Lind origin story
09:53 What is keeping Lindsey up at night?
18:23 Lindsey: Advocating for school accommodations for kids with disabilities is crucial
21:12 Upcoming events
Maribeth Watson talks about Partners in PolicyMaking, Morningstar Ministries in Sweetwater TN, and proposed Medicaid budget cuts in 2025 #Protectmedicaid
Timeline:
2:00 Introduction
3:00 Maribeth Watson's backstory
4:00 Morningstar Ministries
8:30 Assessing the needs of your community
11: 00 Respite Resources: Joni and Friends and A Mother's Rest
13:00 Proposed Medicaid Changes
16:00 Conclusion and Words of Encouragement!