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Finding Common Ground

Finding Common Ground

By: ROC Vox Podcast Network
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About this listen

 Many families feel like they're treading water, especially those living with autism and other developmental differences. As your hosts, we get it, and we know this frustration all too well.

In response, we've created tried-and-true strategies that help everyday people achieve extraordinary things. Even those who might have doubted themselves can borrow our confidence, follow one of our "blueprints," and with a supportive community cheering them on, make the impossible happen.

Each success inspires those coming up behind us, creating a ripple effect of positive change—Which is why we'll never run out of content!Our podcast tackles tough issues head-on with unfiltered conversations focused on solutions.

We won't avoid "the elephant in the room"—in fact, we'll invite it to dinner! Our unique format appeals to people from across the globe, offering strategies that turn efforts for one into advocacy for the greater good. We breakdown topics like innovative housing, effective self-advocacy, and healthcare complexities, guided by our audience on what to cover next.

Each episode offers fresh perspectives, featuring many guests you won't find on mainstream platforms. We intentionally invite differing viewpoints because finding common ground with those we see as obstacles is the surest way to create new and innovative solutions.

Join our Supporter's Club and check out our merch. Let’s ensure the A/I/DD community's voice is heard. If you want to dig deeper, schedule a session with us. We happily work one-on-one, develop trainings, and offer public speaking engagements to assist individuals and organizations in promoting things like inclusivity and equity.

Join our community, plant seeds of positive change, and before you know it, you'll be moving mountains with us! Want to support our mission and access exclusive content? Join our Supporter's Club and check out our merch.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/finding-common-ground--6199849/support.Copyright ROC Vox Podcast Network Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • Bonus Episode! Finding Common Ground On Location: Pathways for Success

    Bonus Episode! Finding Common Ground On Location: Pathways for Success
    Oct 9 2025
    Steve and Guest Host Alexandra Fernandez speak with Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, Parent Advocate and founder of Better Together Kathy Caruso and others about the Pathways for Success event which brought experts and advocates from across New York State to Utica. Check out the full video of the event on our YouTube Channel:

    https://youtu.be/pIiFhcaPYqs

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/finding-common-ground--6199849/support.
    Show More Show Less
    12 mins
  • Straight Answers to Tough Questions with Assembly Member Brian Miller

    Straight Answers to Tough Questions with Assembly Member Brian Miller
    Oct 1 2025
    What if the fastest way to protect disability services this year isn’t a viral post—but scheduling a meeting now, before legislators head back to Albany? In this episode, AM Brian Miller gives straight answers and a playbook you can use now—from timing your outreach to crafting testimony that actually moves votes.

    Why listen: Unlike many politicians, Miller doesn’t dodge the tough stuff. He leans in. Listen as he dives into the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), looming Medicaid reforms (including the CDPAP rollout), DSP wages, the red tape that blocks common-sense partnerships, and how to make your voice count before this legislative session begins.

    You’ll learn practical moves:
    • Perfect timing: While summer is a great time to connect with legislators, fall works too—and it’s not too late. Now is the moment to book longer, substantive meetings that won’t be possible once session starts, so your stories can shape bills before legislators are back in Albany.
    • How to advocate: Replace mass emails with personal letters/calls that get read and get returned.
    • Testify like a pro: Use a 5-minute structure (personal story → crisp facts → clear ask) and always follow up with the panel afterward.
    • Unstick the system: Pair innovative pilots with smarter funding routes (Veterans, Aging, Education, Medicaid) and identify one word or phrase that could be tweaked in law/reg so that solutions aren't blocked.
    • Policy focus areas: ADA/Olmstead compliance, DSP wage action, pausing/assessing rushed reforms, and making oversight reports accessible to the public and legislators.
    Standout quotes:
    • “Really get involved and understand how the different funding streams and different groups can work together to help our loved ones because this could be a difficult chapter coming up, but it’s not the end of our story.” — Heather M. Burroughs
    • “Don’t rely on a form letter. Try to connect in person and be precise, but also personal.” — AM Brian Miller
    What Brian Miller models: Bridge-building, engineering-style problem solving (root-cause → corrective action), and a consistent record of showing up for disability families, on the record and in the room.

    Listen if you’re:
    Parents & caregivers, self-direction leaders, DSPs and providers, advocates preparing testimony, or anyone ready to trade outrage for outcomes. Hit play to grab the blueprint—and pass it to a friend who needs it.



    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/finding-common-ground--6199849/support.
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • Pathways to Success

    Pathways to Success
    Sep 19 2025
    In this episode, we sit down with three incredible women—Bethany Wendt, Kathy Caruso, and Kim Karcic—to talk about Pathways for Success: Together We Thrive, a powerful event happening in Utica, NY.

    Each guest shared why they felt called to be part of this initiative and how families of individuals with disabilities often feel lonely, overwhelmed, and unsure where to turn. Their stories highlight the importance of coming together, building community, and making sure no one walks this journey alone.

    Guests
    • Bethany Wendt – Director of Community Relations at the Kelberman Center
      Website: https://www.kelberman.org/family-connect/family-education-and-training/
    • Kathy Caruso – Mom & Lead Facilitator for Better Together: Support and Advocacy
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Better-Together-Support-and-Advocacy-100057210018852/
    • Kim Karcic – Family Member, Teacher, and Advocate
    About the Event
    Saturday, Sept. 27
    9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    The Parish on Broadway, 730 Broadway, Utica, NY
    Parking available at City Hall

    Who should attend?
    Parents & caregivers of individuals in the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) community.

    What to expect:
    • Sessions on Early Intervention, School-Age Supports, Adult Services & Transition Planning
    • OPWDD Resources & Future Planning
    • Q&A Panel + Resource Tables featuring OPWDD, ARC, Life Plan, Kelberman & more
    • Light refreshments provided
    A full day of learning, connecting, and finding support—together.
    Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/KLFtaUPGG9

    If this event isn’t happening near you, but you think your community could benefit from something like this—consider this your blueprint!

    Be inspired, and reach out to any of these women to learn how you can make it happen in your hometown.

    Visit us at www.fcgadvocacy.org, follow us on social media, and help us grow our audience and impact.

    Together, we can build stronger pathways for success everywhere.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/finding-common-ground--6199849/support.
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
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