Current data and understanding about American Indian children and families is limiting and often focuses on disparities. Using a story-focused approach in evaluation can help in better understanding what experiences are important and meaningful to Indigenous families in Minnesota. Guests discuss how they used storybanking—gathering stories from peo…

More than half a million Minnesotans experienced poverty last year. Guests talk about financial insecurity and how guaranteed income programs are helping families obtain financial health and well-being.It's possible for a Minnesotan to be working full time trying to support their family and still earn a poverty-level wage. Heather Britt and guests …

Host Heather Britt is joined by Rochester Public Schools Superintendent Kent Pekel and researchers Anna Granias and Amanda Petersen to discuss the benefits of using data and representing multiple stakeholders and perspectives in strategic planning. The result: ownership and consensus on direction, and a more holistic, robust and impactful plan that…

Guests discuss how social isolation and loneliness impact the health of Minnesota’s older adults, efforts underway to better understand and address the problem, and the ways everyone can help.Guests• Steven M. Hoover, PhD, Healthy Aging Coordinator, Central Minnesota Council on Aging • Christin Lindberg, Research Associate, Wilder Research• Rebecca…

Guests discuss innovative new models in the Twin Cities East Metro area that pair mental health professionals with dedicated community resource officers to more effectively respond to calls from people experiencing a mental health crisis and connect them to the services they need.Guests• Roger Meyer, Project Director, East Metro Crisis Alliance• Em…

Guests discuss how trauma-informed, culturally specific, and community-based programs can help address the overrepresentation of African American youth in the juvenile justice system. The discussion highlights one community-based program supporting African American youth and families in North Minneapolis that is building on individual and community…

Recent research suggests that 1 in 8 Minnesotans faces hunger since the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests discuss what’s contributing to Minnesotans not having reliable and sufficient amounts of affordable, nutritious food.GUESTS: Rebecca Mino, Manager of Applied Research & Public Policy for Second Harvest Heartland; Ethan Neal, Food Systems Manager for Pi…

By Talking Through the Numbers

Guests discuss the alarming increase in people experiencing homelessness in Minnesota who are staying outside of formal shelter, why this is happening, and what it will take to meet the needs. Host Paul Mattessich talks with David Katzenmeyer, Program Supervisor of Project Recovery and Street Outreach at People Incorporated, and Brian Pittman, Rese…

Paul Mattessich talks with two guests about important considerations and challenges in building effective collaborations between organizations and communities. The discussion draws from Collaboration: What Makes it Work, A Review of Research Literature on Factors Influencing Successful Collaboration (3rd ed.), particularly the chapter focused on co…

Guests discuss the changing populations in Minnesota, and how breaking large, general categories of data into more specific sub-groups is essential to understanding the needs, strengths, and challenges of the diverse communities and people who live here. Host Paul Mattessich talks with KaYing Yang, director of programs and partnerships at Coalition…

Paul Mattessich talks with three guests about the friends, family, and communities providing informal caregiving to Minnesota’s older adult population, the need for culturally responsive support services, and how we can improve how we support Minnesota’s informal caregivers. Guests include: Maureen Kenney, director of Aging Services at the Amherst …

By Talking Through the Numbers

Paul Mattessich talks with Jen Reedy, President of the Bush Foundation, and Allison Liuzzi, Project Director of Minnesota Compass, about ways communities are changing in Minnesota; how data helps to understand and prepare for future challenges and give us hope; and tips for being an informed consumer of facts.Learn more about the Bush Foundation: h…

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so Paul Mattessich spoke with two experts on children's mental health in Minnesota. The discussion covers formal and informal mental health services, what we know about building positive relationships, and what you can do to help promote mental health among children.Guests:Dr. Cheryl Holm-Hansen, senior researc…

Host Paul Mattessich talks with Michelle Gerrard of Wilder Research and Senta Leff of the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless about who is homeless in Minnesota, the causes of homelessness, and the one thing they would do to end it.Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless: https://www.mnhomelesscoalition.org/Minnesota Homeless Study: http://mnhomeless…