The Paid Leave Podcast

Latest Episodes:

You Don't Have to be a Smoker to Get Lung Cancer. Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Every year more people die from lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancer combined. Lung Cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, making up more than 25 percent of all cancer deaths.
I spoke with Dr. Omar Ibrahim who is an interventional pulmonologist and top lung cancer doctor at UConn Health, about the different types of lung cancers, what causes lung cancer, when you should get screened and how to work through getting that kind of diagnosis. He says having a good support system in place and caregivers who can drive you to appointments and to treatments is very important for the patient's recovery. Diahann Wilcox is a nurse practitioner and tobacco treatment specialist, and she gives us information on how to quit smoking and the tools she uses to make that successful. She has private and group sessions at UConn Health. Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer.
For more information on lung cancer screening call UConn Health at 844-777-LUNG. A nurse navigator will call you back to discuss your eligibility for the screening test.
To apply for CT Paid Leave benefits or for more information go to ctpaidleave.org

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ALS takes a life every 90 minutes. Nov 10, 2022

Show notes

You may remember the Ice Bucket Challenge that went viral a few years ago. It was started by a man diagnosed and who later died from ALS, which stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure. Your body fails, but your mind stays sharp. Every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with ALS, and someone dies from it.
Caregiver Tyler Gaetano knows about ALS all too well. His mother died from the disease in 2021 at 59. Tyler was his mother's main caregiver and her mouthpiece after she lost the ability to speak.
Jacky Rose the Executive Director of the CT. Chapter of the ALS Association say progress is being made with drugs that are prolonging life, but a cure for ALS is elusive. She says there are many services available, including grief counseling for caregivers. Tyler and his family used these services after the passing of his mom.
To find out how you can help fund a cure for ALS:
Donate to The ALS Association
To find out more about care giver services:
Support for ALS Caregivers | The ALS Association
For information on CT Paid Leave benefits:
CT Paid Leave Authority (PFMLA)| Home | Official Site

Breast Cancer is a beast. Oct 31, 2022

Show notes

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is great to have a month that highlights a disease, and brings awareness about prevention, treatment and survival. The fact remains that one out of every 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. CT Paid Leave gives up to 12 weeks of income replacement, so you can take time away from work to deal with your own serious health condition or that of a loved one. This allows you to focus on your diagnosis, treatment plan and healing and not worry about your finances.
The expert on this topic is breast surgeon Dr. Kertrisa McWhite. She is a fellowship-trained breast surgeon at the Middlesex Health Surgical Alliance and the Comprehensive Breast Center. She talks about prevention, screenings and how treatments have improved survival rates even in the last 10 years. She talks about why it's important to have a good support system with a diagnosis and to seek behavioral health professionals if you need to. She is hopeful that there will one day be a cure for breast cancer.
For help please go to:
Kertrisa McWhite, MD | Breast Surgeon | Middlesex Health // Middlesex Health
Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer Information & Overview
CT Paid Leave Authority (PFMLA)| Home | Official Site

Surviving Domestic Violence and learning to FLYY. Oct 14, 2022

Show notes

My guest Sistah Anyango has energy and spirituality to spare. She founded the FLYY movement that gives women a safe space to move, to recover, and to heal. FLYY is the acronym for the Freedom to Love the You in You. It started out as a Zumba class, but it grew into so much more. Sistah Anyango is well equipped as a domestic violence survivor to help other women muscle through trauma, and FLYY on the other side. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and we will talk about her own dark space in domestic violence, and what it took to get her kids and herself out safely.

To find out more about The FLYY Movement you can go to:
The FLYY Movement | Connecticut
For more information on Domestic violence:
If you need help or need to talk with someone, please contact ctsafeconnect.org
call or text 888-774-2900. Advocates are available 24/7.
Please call 9-1-1 if you believe you are in danger.
The national domestic violence hotline is 800-779-7233.

One State Senator's Campaign for Paid Leave. Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

It takes one person's commitment to a cause to create a wave of change. That is true about my guest Connecticut State Senator Julie Kushner, who represents the 24th Senate District that includes Danbury, New Fairfield, Sherman and some parts of Bethel. She has led a life of advocacy and helping others, including her 2018 campaign aimed at getting CT Paid Leave passed in the state. In the CT General Assembly, Senator Kushner is the Senate Chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee and along with the coalition and others, they crafted a well written and comprehensive law that passed the next year.
Senator Kushner is happy that the law she helped to get passed is now being used by her constituents in so many various ways.

AARP Says Caregivers are Critical to Families Aug 25, 2022

Show notes

Caregivers are essential to families. Sometimes they have to make hard choices between taking care of a loved one or working. Connecticut Paid Leave gives them some relief by giving up to 12 weeks of income replacement, so you don't have to make such difficult choices.
The AARP was instrumental in helping to get the Paid Medical and Family Leave Act signed into law, knowing that caregivers needed more flexibility. On this episode I spoke with the AARP Assistant State Director of Advocacy and Outreach, Anna Doroghazi. Anna talked about the coalition that banded together to make sure CT Paid Leave became a reality. She also talked about caregivers and the increasing need for intermittent leave, a provision CTPL allows as well as reduced schedule leave.
Also joining the conversation was AARP volunteer Barbara Munck who testified on behalf of the CT Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. She is a trained volunteer and caregiver team and presents their Caregiving Roadshow around the state. Barbara has had extensive experience with being a family caregiver to her sister, mother, child, and husband. Her experiences made her realize how important CT Paid leave is to caregivers across the state.

Adoption Can Change Everything for a Family Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

Adoption can be rewarding and life altering for a parent. CT Paid Leave recognizes that adding to your family whether by birth, fostering or adopting, you may need some time to bond with the new addition to your family. CTPL offers up to 12 weeks of income replacement so parents can take bonding time with their new family and not worry about finances.
Guests on the podcast include Connecticut adoptive parent John Pica-Sneeden, who has 5 adopted children and another being fostered and soon to be adopted. John is the Executive Director of the Gay and Lesbian Chamber in Connecticut.
Adoptive Mom Susan Meyers has 2 children who were internationally adopted. She is the President of the Council on Adoption and is an adoptive social worker on staff at the Family and Children's Agency in Branford CT.
Foster care specialist Allison Casinghino works at the Wheeler Clinic in Plainville CT. She helped John to become a successful adoptive parent to 5 children.
The Tips-MAPP was mentioned in this podcast and here is what that means for adoption and fostering. In early 2015, Connecticut Department of Children and Families formally adopted Tips-MAPP as the statewide pre-service model for anyone planning to foster or adopt a CT child or youth in need of out-of-home care. Prospective parents will attend classes designed to help them make an informed decision about becoming foster or adoptive parents.
For information about becoming a foster or adoptive parent call 1-888-KID-HERO or e-mail: KidHero@cafafct.org

Married to the Military and the Battle with Mental Health Jul 25, 2022

Show notes

Caring for a loved one injured during active duty in the Armed Forces can be a full-time job. Hear from two women - Kim Brown and Kasey Timberlake - who were caregivers for their spouses upon their return home from their military deployments. Kim and Kasey talk in detail about the challenges they faced when caring for their husbands, who suffered traumatic brain injuries and PTSD, and the work that they both do to support members of the military through their careers with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and the Connecticut Air National Guard.

The Veterans Affairs and Paid Leave. Jul 09, 2022

Show notes

There are more than 1.3 million active duty service men and women in the military branches of our country. In Connecticut there are more than 7,000 serving and 5000 more serving in the Guard. That's a lot of families who are effected by their duty to their country. Active duty military members can focus on their job, while Connecticut Paid Leave can focus on their families.
There are two types of military benefit programs under CT Paid Leave just for the family members. One is military caregiver leave and the other is qualifying exigency leave. Both are explained in this episode by host Nancy Barrow and her guest the Connecticut Commissioner of the Department of Veterans affairs, Thomas Saadi. Commissioner Saadi talks about the great need for these programs for the family members, who serve in their own way.
This episode includes Commissioner Saadi's vision for the department, which is to focus more on military families.
For information on veterans affairs please call 860-616-3600.
For information on military family benefits under CT Paid Leave, please visit ctpaidleave.org

The Early Fight to Get CT Paid Leave Passed Jun 24, 2022

Show notes

Getting CT Paid Leave passed didn't come easy. Host Nancy Barrow talks to the organization that is a strong supporter, advocate and coalition member, the Connecticut Women's Education And Legal Fund (CWEALF). Executive Director Janée Woods Weber and Policy Director Maddie Granato discuss the long fight to get a paid leave law in the state, and how CWEALF supports and serves women and girls of Connecticut. They also discuss the organization's direction as it heads into it's 50th year.

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