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The Ahlquist Center for Policy, Practice and Innovation is the policy and advocacy arm of Brightpoint, a distinguished child and family service organization in Illinois. The Center advocates for robust, antiracist, equitable policies and social supports that create social capital, economic mobility, and systems designed to ensure children, families, and communities thrive.In this podcast, we invite you to take an inside look at how we think about policy: why it matters, how it impacts youth, ...
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On today's episode, we talk about our organization's rebranding and what it means for how we think about problems facing Illinois families. Our guest today is Brightpoint CEO Mike Shaver, who talks about why the organization rebranded and what to expect going forward. Episode Notes: To learn more about our journey as Brightpoint, visit our website.…
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On this episode, we revisit the issue of diaper need and discuss the latest data on its impact on infants, toddles, and their caregivers. Our guests include Jeannie Higdon, Program Manager at Brightpoint, and Lee Ann Porter, Executive Director of Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank in Galesburg. They discuss what a lack of diapers means for their communitie…
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Leading with Lived Experience in Child Welfare
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The latest episode of the Ahlquist Agenda focuses on a first of its kind program in Illinois, AKIN: Achieving Permanency through Kinship Placement Investing in Co-parenting with Natural Parents. The AKIN program partners parent mentors with lived experience and families navigating the child welfare system. Statewide Program Manager for Family Suppo…
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Let's Talk About Diaper Need (Again)
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In recognition of Diaper Need Awareness Week, we're revisiting why diaper need is an important issue for Illinois families. We're joined by State Representative Lakesia Collins of the 9th District to talk about how diaper need impacts her district and why she is introducing legislation to make diapers more affordable for families next session in Sp…
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Upset the Setup: Breaking Barriers Recap
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In this episode, we recap our annual Breaking Barriers event and further explore the connections between neglect and poverty. The episode features our two guests from the event: Alex Kotlowitz, an award winning author and journalist who focuses on the needs of under-resourced communities, and Michael Tubbs, the former mayor of Stockton, CA and a le…
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Advocacy in Action: Our Session Review for 2022
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In this episode, Host Eric Mayo reviews some of the big wins for children and families from the most recent legislative session in Springfield. Episode Resources: Capitol News Illinois provided an excellent recap of all things budget and policy that went down over the last few days of session. A more detailed breakdown of budget wins can be found h…
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Helping Families Through Lower Taxes
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On today's episode, we revisit a key policy to help lift families out of poverty: the expansion of the Earned Income Credit and the creation of a Child Tax Credit. We're joined by State Senator Omar Aquino of the 2nd Senatorial District and Senate champion of this legislation. We talk about what this policy means for families and communities and wh…
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Hidden Crisis: Let's Talk About Diapers
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In today's episode, we talk about the difficulty families face in affording diapers and legislation to make it easier. Eric is joined by Dr. Jennifer Randles, a sociologist at Fresno State University, who has studied the impact of diaper need on families. Episode Resources: The full text of SB3461 is available here. We’ve also put together a one pa…
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Building (Early Care and Education) Back Better
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In this month’s episode, we talk about the importance of early care and education: its importance to the economy, what Illinois and the federal government is doing to make it more accessible and affordable, and hear from We, The Village, a group in Illinois working to make the early education and care system better for Illinois families. Episode Re…
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Building Pathways for Youth Away From Violence
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In today's episode, we discuss two programs that focus on youth violence prevention. Julie Noobler, Director of Metro Behavioral Services, discusses Choose to Change, an innovative violence prevention program that focuses on trauma. Jamie Ellison, Program Director for Redeploy Illinois, talks about her program to reduce juvenile incarceration rates…
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In today’s episode, we talk about the important role fathers play in family strengthening. Ed Davies, Director of Community and Family Engagement at Children’s Home & Aid, joins us to talk about Children Home & Aid’s past and present work with fathers, the significant barriers fathers in our programs face, and the similarities and differences worki…
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In today’s episode, we dive into reimagining the child welfare system. Continuing our discussion from Breaking Barriers. Transforming Systems. Centering Families, guests Jen Agosti and Amanda Whitlock join the show to talk about what centering families in child welfare truly means, and what other social and governmental supports families need to th…
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Earning a driver’s license is a key milestone to adulthood. Yet for youth in care, there are many barriers to earning that license. In the second episode of the Ahlquist Agenda, we’re joined by Gerry Glynn and Keri Flynn from Embrace Families in Florida, which runs a nationally renowned program called Keys to Independence that helps Florida foster …
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Money, Money, Money: Expanding the Earned Income Credit
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In the debut episode of the Ahlquist Agenda, we focus on putting more cash in the hands of those who need it the most through the Earned Income Credit. Amber Wilson, State Coalition Manager of Economic Security for Illinois joins our conversation to give an update on two bills that seek to expand the credit and talk about the significant impact it …
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