Stay ConnectedThrough interviews with researchers, community leaders, and service providers, Wilder Research examines pressing issues facing our communities today to offer insight beyond the numbers.
Wilder Research is a nonprofit organization working to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities through human services research.
Copyright: © All rights reserved
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 people directly impacted by policies, programs and services—as part of a project designed to align and coordinate systems for families with young children. These stories helped the Minnesota departments of Education, Health, and Human Services and the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet learn about the lives and experiences of Indigenous children, families and communities in Minnesota, better understand how they are doing, and help them access what they need to thrive. Guests include: • Lucy Littlewolf Arias, MN Department of Education • Jessica Tokunaga, Wilder Research
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 discuss what we mean by poverty, the big mismatch between who we consider below poverty and what people actually need to get by, and the guaranteed income programs the City of St. Paul and the Wilder Foundation are piloting to support residents navigating poverty and help them achieve financial security. Guests Kasey Wiedrich, Financial Capability Manager, City of St. Paul Office of Financial Empowerment Liz Kaufman, Asset Building Program Coordinator, Wilder Foundation Jenny Geris, Whole Family Systems Manager, Wilder Foundation Allison Liuzzi, Research Manager and Minnesota Compass Project Director, Wilder Research
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 actually gets used. Related: Planning for Purpose: Rochester Public Schools Strategic Action Plan 2022-2025 (https://www.wilder.org/wilder-research/research-library/planning-purpose-rochester-public-schools-strategic-action-plan)
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 Sales, Research Scientist, Wilder Research Resources • The Foundation for Social Connection https://www.social-connection.org/ • Commit to Connect: Combatting Social Isolation and Loneliness in all Communities https://acl.gov/CommitToConnect • National Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness https://www.endsocialisolation.org • enGaged: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults https://www.engagingolderadults.org • MinnesotaHelp.info https://www.minnesotahelp.info/SpecialTopics/Seniors/Search?sm=All&q=social+isolation&loc=&geo=®= • Senior LinkAge Line® @ 1-800-333-2433 • Mental Health Minnesota CONNECT Initiative provides social connections by phone between volunteers and people who may be struggling with social isolation https://mentalhealthmn.org/support/minnesota-warmline/ • Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly Phone Companions program matches older adults with volunteers https://www.littlebrothersmn.org/programs/ • AARP Friendly Voice program provides trained volunteers who call people who are feeling isolated or anxious https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/friendly-voice/ • Minnesota Compass https://www.mncompass.org/topics/demographics/age/older-adults
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 • Emily Schug, Deputy Director, Dakota County Social Services • Brian Sturgeon, Chief of Police, City of West St. Paul • Melissa Serafin, Research Associate, Wilder Research Resources • East Metro Crisis Alliance https://www.eastmetrocrisisalliance.org/ The Alliance is an innovative public-private partnership comprised of counties, hospitals, health plans, consumer organizations, and the state, whose purpose is to measurably improve the crisis system in Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties. • Dakota County Mental Health Coordinated Response: https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/HealthFamily/MentalHealth/Response/Pages/default.aspx The Dakota County Coordinated Response model is a collaboration between Dakota County Social Services and some of our local law enforcement departments. The purpose is to provide outreach following a crisis and jointly assist with finding long-term solutions. • St. Paul, MN Community Outreach & Stabilization Unit (C.O.A.S.T.) https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/police/administration-office-chief/community-engagement-division/community-outreach The COAST Unit consists of the Mental Health Resource Team, the Recovery Access Program and the Police Homeless Outreach Program. The Unit enables the SPPD to connect people in crisis with the care they need, helping to significantly reduce mental-health-crisis-related arrests and repeat calls for service. • Law Enforcement Response to Mental Health Needs: How Do We Measure Improvement? How do we know collaborations between law enforcement and social services are successful in serving individuals with mental health and substance use needs? Wilder and East Metro Crisis Alliance teamed up to create an evaluation framework for similar initiatives to assess their effectiveness. https://www.wilder.org/articles/law-enforcement-response-mental-health-needs-how-do-we-measure-improvement
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 strengths to guide the work, and then explores the ways racial disparities are rooted in structural racism and what the research really shows about community safety. Guests: • Carmeann Foster, Founder and Executive Director of Rebound, Inc. • Adesola Oni, Youth Equity and Innovation Manager in the Juvenile Probation Division of Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections • Lindsay Turner, Research Associate at Wilder Research
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 Pillsbury United Communities; and Maddie Hansen-Connell, Research Associate at Wilder Research. RESOURCES: Food finders and advocacy resources - Second Harvest Heartland advocacy - https://www.2harvest.org/who--how-we-help/advocacy/ Pillsbury United Communities - https://pillsburyunited.org/programs/food-distribution/ Hunger Solutions – https://www.hungersolutions.org/ Feeding America – https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank Research and data on hunger and food access: Minnesota Compass - http://www.mncompass.org/covid-19/food-insecurity#1-14188-g Wilder Research food access and nutrition research - https://www.wilder.org/wilder-research/research-library?=&field_wilder_topic_1%5B4118%5D=4118 Food Research and Access Center - https://frac.org/ USDA Economic Research Service - https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-choices-health/food-access/
Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau counts every person in the United States. The results determine political representation, determine federal funding allocation to states and tribal nations, and serve as a key source of information for government, nonprofit, and business planning. In Minnesota, the 2020 Census will determine whether we retain eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. On this episode, guests discuss the 2020 Census, which groups and communities are sometimes undercounted, and why a full and accurate count is essential for the health and success of Minnesota’s government, businesses, and residents. Host Paul Mattessich talks with Wayne Ducheneaux, executive director of the Native Governance Center, Susan Brower, Minnesota State Demographer and director of the Minnesota State Demographic Center, and Jacob Wascalus, research scientist at Wilder Research and the Minnesota Compass project. More information Census 2020: We Count MN https://mn.gov/admin/2020-census/ Native Governance Center https://nativegov.org/ Minnesota State Demographic Center https://mn.gov/admin/demography/ Minnesota Compass https://www.mncompass.org/
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, Research Scientist with Wilder Research and analyst for the Minnesota Homeless Study. Resources: Minnesota Homeless Study - http://mnhomeless.org/ People Incorporated, Project Recovery - https://www.peopleincorporated.org/program/project-recovery/ Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless - https://www.mnhomelesscoalition.org/ Heading Home Ramsey - https://www.headinghomeramsey.org/ Hennepin County Continuum of Care Partnership to End Homelessness - https://www.hennepin.us/your-government/projects-initiatives/heading-home-hennepin
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 collaborating across difference, understanding culture, and navigating power dynamics. Guests include Kirsten Johnson, Director of Community Engagement & Systems Change at the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, who co-authored the 3rd edition with Paul, and Vanne Owens Hayes, a Cultural Consultant and Health Educator serving the Twin Cities African-American community, who contributed to the chapter on collaborating across difference. Resources: Buy the book: https://www.turnerpublishing.com/books/detail/collaboration-3rd-edition/ Wilder Collaboration Resources: https://www.wilder.org/collaboration
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 of Asian American Leaders, and Nicole MartinRogers, research scientist at Wilder Research. More information and resources Minnesota Compass: mncompass.org Race data disaggregation: What does it mean? Why does it matter? https://www.mncompass.org/trends/insights/2018-04-04-data-disaggregation Minnesota Department of Education - Counting All Students: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/count/ White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: https://sites.ed.gov/aapi/ East Metro Pulse: https://www.spmcf.org/east-metro-pulse
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 H. Wilder Foundation; Dorothea Harris, program manager of Volunteers of America – Minnesota’s Culturally Responsive Caregiver Support and Dementia Consultation; and Christin Lindberg research scientist at Wilder Research. More information and resources: MINNESOTA: Wilder Foundation Healthy Aging & Caregiving Services: https://www.wilder.org/what-we-offer/healthy-aging-caregiving-services Wilder Research Older Adults and Aging research: https://www.wilder.org/wilder-research/research-topics/older-adults-and-aging Volunteers of America Caregiver Support: https://www.voamnwi.org/caregiver-support Culturally Responsive Caregiver Support and Dementia HELPLINE (available in 4 languages): 952-945-4034 Minnesota Board on Aging Senior Linkage Line: http://www.mnaging.org/advisor/SLL.htm MNHelp.Info - https://mnhelp.info/SpecialTopics/Seniors NATIONAL: National Alliance for Caregiving: https://www.caregiving.org/ Family Caregiver Alliance: https://www.caregiver.org/ AARP: https://www.aarp.org/ Next Avenue: https://www.nextavenue.org/
Paul Mattessich talks with Laura Sutherland, Safe Harbor Regional Navigator for Southeastern Minnesota, and Laura Schauben, research scientist at Wilder Research, about sex trafficking and sexual exploitation in Minnesota, the statewide effort to identify and support victims, and what you need to know that could help save a life. More information: Information on Safe Harbor Minnesota: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/safeharbor/ Understanding Sex Trafficking and What Minnesota is Doing to Address it: https://www.wilder.org/articles/understanding-sex-trafficking-and-what-minnesota-doing-address-it 5 Facts That Can Help you Save a Life: What You Need to Know About Commercial Sexual Exploitation: https://www.wilder.org/articles/five-facts-can-help-you-save-life-what-you-need-know-about-commercial-sexual-exploitation
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: https://www.bushfoundation.org/ Learn more about Minnesota Compass: https://www.mncompass.org/
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 research manager at Wilder Research, where she's led studies related to children's mental health for more than 20 years. Dr. Mark Sander is a senior clinical psychologist for Hennepin County & Director of School Mental Health for Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Schools. Useful links: Wilder Research publications on mental health: http://www.wilder.org/Wilder-Research/Publications/Pages/results-Mental-Health.aspx National Alliance on Mental Illness - MN: http://www.namihelps.org/ Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative: https://www.rccmhc.org/ Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative: http://www.hccmhc.com/ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Children's Mental Health: https://www.samhsa.gov/children Amherst H. Wilder Foundation Mental & Chemical Health Services : https://www.wilder.org/Programs-Services/Children-Family-Mental-Health/
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.org/
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
