In this episode, host Crystal Hernandez sits down with three esteemed disability child care experts from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, Carrie F. Whitlow, Mary Davenport, LMSW u/s, and Megan Hart. They share their invaluable experiences and insights on fostering inclusive environments for children with disabilities. Join us as we explore culturally responsive strategies, community support systems, and the vital role of advocacy in helping familes with quality and affordable child care services. Tune in to discover how these experts are paving the way for empowerment and resilience in their communities!

This month host Crystal is joined by Dana Miller, a Seminole and Ojibwe citizen, who serves as Ward 1 Councilperson for the City of Seminole. In her professional career, Dana has proposed and implemented innovative strategies that have led to effective policy and best practices. Highlights of her career in Medicaid include implementing a policy that allowed for coverage of Native children residing in boarding schools. Dana has been recognized nationally for efforts to address healthcare disparities in tribal communities. After a long tenure with state government, she now owns Dana Miller Consulting (DMC) where she provides expert guidance and advocacy for tribal health care programs. They discuss the importance of strengthening Native people: Gathering resources and knowledge about system navigation and bringing it back for the greater good.

In Episode 11, Crystal talks with Dr. Shea Tanis, from the University of Kansas, about her project the State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities project was initiated in 1982 to investigate the determinants of public spending for intellectual and developmental disabilities services in the United States. The project has developed a 40-year record of revenue, spending, and programmatic trends in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States as a whole.