Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children's Health Podcast

1d ago

At the 2025 Ginsburg Institute Symposium in Orlando, themed Healing Through the Arts , the fireside chat brought together two self-described “theater kids” and leaders in children’s health: Wizdom Powell, PhD, MPH, CMHC, CEO, Unified Youth, and Myron Rolle, MD, MS, former NFL player and current pediatric neurosurgeon, Nemours Children’s Health. Together, they explore how creativity and play are essential to child development — strengthening brain architecture through neuroplasticity and supporting emotional regulation and resilience. Drawing on science, medicine and personal experience, the conversation underscores why the arts, nature and other whole-child approaches should complement traditional health care to help children thrive. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Wizdom Powell, PhD, MPH, CMHC, Chief Executive Officer, Unified Youth Myron Rolle, MD, MS, former NFL player, Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Nemours Children's Health Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .

4d ago

AI in health care isn’t a distant future — it's happening right now. Micky Tripathi, PhD, MPP, Chief Artificial Intelligence Implementation Officer, Mayo Clinic, joined us at HLTH 2025 to share what this transformation looks like on the ground: dozens of AI tools already in daily use, breakthrough models detecting disease earlier than ever, and emerging foundations for precision medicine and digital twins. He also explains the challenges ahead — data quality, workflow integration and privacy gaps — alongside the extraordinary opportunities AI offers to improve patient care, research and education. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Micky Tripathi, PhD, MPP, Chief Artificial Intelligence Implementation Officer, Mayo Clinic Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .

Dec 8

How do we close the gaps in care for children’s mental health right now — not months from now? In part two, we highlight two evidence-based models delivering rapid, meaningful support: HealthySteps , which strengthens early relational health in primary care; and PATH , a telemental-health program offering fast, targeted access for kids and teens. Rahil Briggs, PsyD, National Director, HealthySteps, and Amanda Lochrie, PhD, MBA, ABPP, Executive Director, Child and Behavioral Health, Medical Director, PATH, Nemours Children’s Health, join us to explain how these programs meet families where they are, reduce stigma, shorten wait times, and lay the groundwork for children to flourish. Their work is detailed in a new issue brief from the Nemours Children’s Office of Policy and Prevention: Promoting Mental Well-Being for Children: Promising Pediatric Mental Health Models That Help Children Thrive. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Rahil Briggs, PsyD, National Director, HealthySteps Amanda Lochrie, PhD, MBA, ABPP , Executive Director, Child and Behavioral Health, Medical Director, PATH, Nemours Children’s Health Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .

Dec 1

Schools are more than places to learn - they’re also powerful front doors for kids to access mental health care. This episode explores how school-based health centers are expanding access to behavioral health services for children served by Nationwide Children's and Nemours Children's Health, drawing on promising models featured in a new issue brief from the Nemours National Office of Policy and Prevention. This is Part 1 of a two-part series on improving access to pediatric mental health care. Part 2 (Episode 168) focuses on telehealth and early relational health models that help children thrive well beyond medicine . Learn more about these models in an issue brief from the Nemours Office of Policy and Prevention, entitled Promoting Mental Well-Being for Children: Promising Pediatric Mental Health Models That Help Children Thrive. GUESTS: Daniella Gratale , Associate Vice President, Federal Affairs, Nemours Children's Health Hannah Wagner, Senior Advisor for Policy Development and Partnerships, Nemours Children's Health Mary Kay Irwin , Senior Director for School-Based Health at Nationwide Children’s Jason Boye , MD, Clinical Director of School-Based Behavioral Health, Nemours Children’s Health Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .

Nov 24

What children eat today is heavily influenced by powerful forces — from ultra-processed “kids’ foods” to marketing strategies designed to keep them hooked. World-renowned nutrition expert Dr. Marion Nestle explains how we got here, why parents are facing an uphill battle and what real solutions look like. We discuss school meals, the “pester factor,” the connection between food insecurity and obesity, and how other countries are taking a different approach. Dr. Nestle also offers practical, hopeful steps parents, grandparents and caregivers can take to help children develop a healthier relationship with food. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, New York University Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .

Nov 17

Child trafficking isn’t a distant issue — it happens in our own communities, often hiding in plain sight. Erin Williamson, LCSW, Chief Programs & Strategy Officer, Love146 , a nationally recognized expert on child exploitation and trauma-informed care, shares insight into the realities of child trafficking. She discusses how health care providers, educators and community members can recognize red flags, build trust with vulnerable youth, and provide wraparound support that restores safety and dignity. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Erin Williamson, LCSW, Chief Programs & Strategy Officer, Love146 Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .

Nov 14

Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children's Health Podcast is exploring all the ways we can create the healthiest generations of children ever. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .

Nov 10

Chief Executive Officer Wizdom Powell, PhD, MPH, CMHC, joins the podcast to discuss how Unified Youth is reshaping mental well-being for young people through creativity. Drawing on her experience working with veterans and military families, Dr. Powell shares how the same principles of healing in community — what she calls “speaking to the wounds” — can help today’s youth remember who they are and reimagine who they can become. It’s a conversation about radical healing, belonging and the transformative power of art and purpose in building a healthier future for all. Watch the episode on YouTube. Featuring: Wizdom Powell, PhD, MPH, CMHC, Chief Executive Officer, Unified Youth Host/Producer: Carol Vassar Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .