Raising Kellan

Marsh Naidoo, PT
  • 5.0 (25)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

An information hub for parents of children with disabilities.

  1. Jul 24

    Episode 172: National Disability and Home Care Rights Coalition Response to DOJ Opinion on Olmstead Decision - (6/18/26)

    An in-depth conversation with Theresa Sweeny, co-founder of the National Disability and Home Care Rights Coalition, about emerging threats to disability rights and home- and community-based services (HCBS) in the United States. Sweeny explains that the coalition formed to unite disabled people, families, and organizations across diagnoses, waiver systems, and states in defense of civil rights protections rooted in the ADA, Olmsted, Section 504, HCBS, privacy, due process, caregiver rights, and equal dignity, amid growing fractures within disability communities and state-level erosion of these protections. The discussion centers on a Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel memorandum stating that Section 504 and the ADA do not impose a general integration mandate on states, thereby allowing states the potential of not meeting the provision of  HCBS needed by persons of disabilities to live in the community and increasing the risk of institutionalization. Sweeny highlights the Latanya Reeves Freedom Act as a critical federal civil rights proposal that would create an enforceable statutory right to community living and stronger protections for people needing long-term services and supports, and urges listeners to contact their federal legislators to support and co-sponsor the bill. The episode also examines how narratives of “fraud, waste, and abuse” in Medicaid are used to foment public hostility towards marginalized communities despite the program’s role as a vital social safety net from birth to death for people who cannot otherwise obtain or afford health insurance. The episode concludes with a call for broad, unified advocacy, including engagement with the coalition’s unity statement and related resources, to defend the right of disabled people to live, work, and participate in their communities rather than being forced into institutions. Today’s Call to Action: National Disability & Home Care Rights Coalition, in coordination with the Ohio Disability & Home Care Rights Coalition, has developed a National Unity Statement to protect community living, home and community-based services, Olmstead, Section 504, and the Disability Civil Rights.  The following  petition represents “ 50 states. One fight. Protect Community Living”  Here is your link to endorse https://forms.gle/vMJ7uzA2Uadvv2VK9 Resources ARC US , ARC TN, and Family Voices (National) are some of the organizations that have issued statements in response to the DOJ Opinion. Bruce Darling from ADAPT blog as what this opinion could mean for the disability community https://cdrnys.org/blog/uncategorized/the-olc-memo-olmstead-and-the-latonya-reeves-freedom-act/

  2. Jul 15

    Episode 171: Your Vote Matters!

    Episode #171 (12 min listen) Today’s episode is a PSA as we head into the midterm elections. I am grateful to Anita Fowlkes, Administrator of the Dyer County Election Commission, for informing us of some key points 1:48 Early Voting starts this Friday, July 17, and runs till August 1, 2026.  To vote early, you need to take your photo ID and go to your local election commission. In Dyersburg, that is at 113 W Market Street.  Offices are open Monday through Friday 8:30 to 4:30. For working families, the election office is also open for three Saturdays, July 18, July 25, and August 1 from 9- 12 PM. If you live in a county other than Dyer County, please go to GoVoteTN.gov to confirm your voter registration and location.  4:08 The redrawn Congressional Maps (May 2026) change Dyer County from the 8th to the 5th Congressional District. See attached graphic for new Congressional Map and  lists of candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives for the primaries. 4:27 For those who don’t live in Dyer County, go to: GoVoteTN.gov to find out your Congressional District.  06:29 What is needed and what forms of ID are accepted to vote. Please note Student ID’s are not accepted.  7:55 If you are already registered to vote and you change your address on the day you vote.  9:09 If you vote on election day, August 6th: Go to GoVoteTN.gov to determine your  precinct. 10:00 During the primaries, you will be asked: 1) Do you want the Democrat or Republican Ballot because you are electing your nominees who will represent each party in the November elections.  2) You will also receive a general ballot for electing your local school board members, commissioners, etc 10:45 When do we get the results? 12:00 If you have any queries, please contact the Dyer County Election Commission at 731-286-4268

  3. Jul 10

    Episode 170: Part 3/3 of the Healthcare Affordability Series with Kristen Grimm of "One Nation Fully Covered"

    This episode of the Raising Kellan Podcast concludes a three-part “Healthcare Affordability” series by featuring human rights advocate Kristen Grimm, founder and former executive director of Mothers for Medicare for All and newly appointed national director of One Nation Fully Covered under the Tim Carpenter Institute. [0:53] [1:17] [32:16] Drawing on her lived experience navigating her son’s 25 childhood and adolescent surgeries in children’s hospitals, Grimm describes how confronting medical debt, insurance denials, and complex Medicaid systems propelled her from hospital corridors to advocacy in the Tennessee legislature, Congress, and national healthcare reform movements. [3:17] [3:44] [4:29] [5:33] [5:53] [6:21] [6:47] [7:40] [8:06][8:43] [9:10] [9:31] [10:05] [10:42] Grimm argues that the current U.S. healthcare financing structure is economically flawed, violates human rights, and is driven by for‑profit insurance companies whose practices generate medical debt and obstruct access to needed care, including for children treated in children’s hospitals. [4:29] [10:59] [11:18] [18:55] [20:00] [22:22] [22:35] [23:14] [23:29] [24:03] She emphasizes Medicaid’s central role in sustaining children’s hospitals and covering nearly half of children in Tennessee and nationwide, framing guaranteed healthcare and medical debt as policy choices rather than inevitabilities. [5:33] [5:53] [6:21] [10:42] [10:59] [23:29] [24:03] The conversation highlights the emotional and financial toll on families, including examples of parents losing Medicaid coverage for their children after marginal income increases and struggling for years to pay off surgical bills. [15:05] [15:42] [15:55] [16:21] [16:41] [17:12] [17:24] As an incremental strategy toward universal healthcare, Grimm outlines the proposed Medicaid for All Children Act (“MACA”) in Tennessee, which would place all children on Medicaid, eliminate means testing and annual redeterminations, remove managed care organizations and private insurers from program administration, and raise provider reimbursement to Medicare rates to support pediatric participation. [12:03] [12:19] [12:32] [12:58] [13:19][13:52] [14:28] [15:05] [17:12] She contends this approach would ensure seamless coverage, reduce administrative burdens on clinicians, eliminate medical debt for children, and serve as a model for broader reform that ultimately covers all children through Medicaid and all adults through Medicare. [17:12] [28:24] [29:04] [26:29] [26:44] [27:03] [27:26] [28:09] The episode situates One Nation Fully Covered within the legacy of Tim Carpenter’s long-standing advocacy for healthcare as a human right and incremental policy change, while inviting listeners to engage in the movement, including through public awareness efforts such as “I love Medicaid” billboards. [29:04] [29:24] [29:45] [30:17] [30:38] [30:47] [31:18][31:49]

  4. Jun 27

    Episode 169: HealthCare Affordability in the U.S. and the CHES Survey

    Dr. Beth Beaudin-Seiler is a Project Director in the Health Research and Insights practice area, where she leads the Health Economics and Policy team. She leads a portfolio of work that focuses on health care affordability, including the Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey (CHES) - a survey designed to understand the burdens, trade-offs, and worries respondents have regarding affording health care. Her goal is to educate listeners on the findings of the 2025 TN CHES Survey.https://healthcarevaluehub.org/consumer-healthcare-experience-state-survey/ 1:38 Beth’s backstory from the College of Aviation at Western Michigan University, training pilots to researching healthcare at Altarum. What is Altarum? A nonprofit organization that focuses on improving the health of individuals who have fewer financial resources, or are disenfranchised by the system. Altarum works on behalf of federal, state, and philanthropic organizations on evidence-based research , planning, and implementing different strategies to address healthcare affordability. I am the senior manager of our health economics and policy program area, under our Health Research and Insights Division at Altarum. 728 What is the CHES Survey, and what are its findings? CHES survey stands for the Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey. In 2018, when we started CHES, because we've kind of felt like the healthcare system could be a lot like playing chess. It's difficult to navigate. The CHES survey asks about respondents' experiences with the healthcare system. Not only their experience in navigating it, their confidence in being able to navigate it, what they have experienced in terms of affordability burden, have they had to make trade-offs in terms of trading off food or housing or basic necessities in order to pay for a medical service or medical procedure or a test or their medications, whether or not they're worried about affording medical services both now and in the future. We ask about their levels of trust and respect in the system, and how they feel they've been treated in the healthcare system. 10:24 CHES Survey was presented at a Tennessee Justice Center webinar 11:17 How often do Tennesseans ration their medications? 13:38 Health care affordability concerns for individuals with disabilities? 16:13 When people with insurance choose to forgo care because of high deductibles and copays. 17:41 How should research like the CHES survey be utilized by parent advocates and healthcare providers that support this community?  22:23 Next Steps? The  CHES survey has been conducted in 36 unique states in the US to form a national database. Findings need to be aggregated to benchmark individual state performance.

  5. Jun 5

    Episode 168. Part 1/3 on HealthCare Affordability Series with TJC

    In this episode, I chat with Shana Watkins from the Tennessee Justice Center about their upcoming HealthCare Afforability Summit, which will be taking place in: Knoxville on June 10, 2026 Nashville on June 17, 2026 Memphis on June 24, 2026 Timeline of the Conversation 01:30 What is the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC)? 03:00 What's in a name? Tenncare is Medicaid! 07:00  Harms of H.R.1 (Big Beautiful Bill) on Healthcare, specifically Medicaid, and implications for Tennesseans. 08:28  The “Unwelcome Mat” Effect 11:00 TJC - Anti-Hunger Program - “Fight for Summer EBT” 17:30 Advocacy in Action- Regional HealthCare Summits June 2026 22:36 We need to hear about your healthcare experiences in Tennessee. 24:20 Radical Inclusion - We need your voice, we need everyone's voice!

  6. May 25

    Episode 167: Heart of Champions VBS - June 8-12, 2026 at Roellen Baptist Church in Dyersburg, Tennessee

    Ms Alicia Cantrell has an exciting VBS planned at Roellen Baptist Church in Roellen, TN, this coming June 8-12, 2026. Be sure to listen to see how your children can sign up. Timeline of conversation: 1:00 How did the idea for this Vacation Bible Study(VBS) evolve? 2:00 FFA, 4-H are Heart of Champions. 4:00 Some of the scheduled activities during VBS. 5:00 How to sign up for VBS 6:30 Ways to volunteer. 8:00 Volunteer training on June 2 at 5:30 at Roellen Baptist Church . 9:00 Conclusion

  7. May 13

    Episode 166. Voting and Redistricting of Tennessee Congressional Maps with Rachel Lovell - Weakley County Election Commissioner

    Rachel Lovell is a dedicated public servant and advocate for civic participation in Weakley County, Tennessee. She has served as an Election Commissioner with the Weakley County Election Commission for the past five years, following five years on the Counting Board. Through her work, Rachel is committed to ensuring elections are fair, transparent, and accessible, and to helping voters understand the importance of registering to vote and making their voices heard.   Outside of her civic service, Rachel is a professional in the healthcare industry and a busy working mom to two daughters. She brings a practical, real‑world perspective to conversations about voting, balancing a demanding career, family life, and community leadership. Timeline of our conversation 01: 08 TN Congressional Map Redistricting- May 7, 2026. 02:10 Redrawn map and its effects on Northwest Tennessee. 03:45 Timeline and what spurred the redrawing of these Congressional Maps? 07:19 How TN CD 8 (Northwest TN) is now TN CD 5. Who is our representative?  09:04 How do we check to see if we are on the voter rolls? Resource: GoVoteTN.gov 10:32: SAVE Act  11:11 Typically the role of the census in redistricting? The Purcell Principle. 12:35 Words of encouragement to listeners.  15:02 In-person voting registration in Dyersburg, TN - May 28 and August 6, 2026. 16:42 Declaration of Part is only done in a primary and NOT in a general election (as of 5/13/26) 18:24 Student voter registration 22:01 Volunteering at the Polls 23:23 Conclusion

  8. May 1

    Episode 165. A Hopeful Message from John and Betty Ann Tanner

    Interview with Former U.S. Representative for the Eighth Congressional District of Tennessee, John Tanner, and his wife, Ms Betty Ann Tanner 00:55 Mr Tanner: Can you please tell us about your early life, sir, up to meeting Ms Betty Ann? 03:43 Ms Betty Ann:  Can you tell us where you were born, how you met John, married, and your family ? 06:27 Mr Tanner: You have an incredibly distinguished career, including being a co-founder of the Blue Dog Coalition. What is and why is it called the “Blue Dogs”? 08:56 Mr Tanner:  Can you tell us about NATO and the Role you played in this organization? 14:15 Mr Tanner: What is the significance of NATO?  17:37 Ms Betty Ann: What was a pivotal moment for you in your work-family life? 23:26 Mr Tanner:  If there is one political reform to prioritise at present, what would that be?  27:36 Mr Tanner or Betty Ann: Tell us about your conservation work.  31: 33 Ms Betty Ann:  Please tell us of some of the work you are involved in at present.  32:50 Mr Tanner: What message of encouragement would you give to the families of NorthWest Tennessee?

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An information hub for parents of children with disabilities.

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  • Creator
    Marsh Naidoo, PT
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    180
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Marsh Naidoo, PT
  • Show Website
    Raising Kellan