Rachel Garret is a licensed foster parent, certified Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), Associate Program Director for Trauma Informed Utah, a former high school teacher and Hope Squad Advisor, and a founder and Executive Director of a non-profit. She shares various facets of life, including her journey to becoming a CASA and a foster parent, the challenges and transformations within the foster care system, and Rachel's own journey through motherhood, professional development, and self-discovery.

Resources:

• Common Thread
• Trauma-Informed Utah
• What Happened to You? book by Oprah and Dr. Bruce Perry
• The Deepest Well by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
• Dr. Lisa Damour’s work
• Imperfectly Good: Navigating Religious and Moral Anxiety to Release Fear and Find Peace by Annabella Hagen
• Rachel’s Instagram: @rachgarrett
• Common Thread's Instagram: @commonthread_community

Follow along on The Sad Moms Club's Instagram: @the.sad.moms.club

This episode features a discussion with care coordinators Carrie Martinez-Wolf and Eric Christensen from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. The conversation illuminates the role of care coordinators in connecting Utah families with children, especially those ages zero to eight and those with special needs, to a plethora of resources.

These resources range from developmental supports to basic needs like food and housing, all offered free of charge and accessible to anyone in need, without regard to immigration status or location within Utah. The care coordinators emphasize the importance of making these resources known to families and providers, highlighting their role in facilitating connections to services such as early intervention, home visiting programs, SNAP, and TANF, among others.

The episode aims to spread awareness about the available support and underline the message that families are not alone in addressing their challenges.

If you would like to connect with Care Coordinators, start by contacting them through one of three ways:

Email: Care.coordination@utah.gov

Call their number: 801-273-2804

Fill out this survey.

01:34 Introducing the Care Coordinators: Eric and Carrie's Stories

05:24 The Heart of Care Coordination: Connecting Families to Resources

07:17 Personal Motivations: Why Eric and Carrie Do What They Do

12:24 Exploring the Scope of Care Coordination Services

16:01 Deep Dive into Zero to Eight Care Coordination

21:36 Making Connections: How Families Access Services

22:27 Navigating Support for Children with Special Healthcare Needs

22:40 Understanding Disability Determination and Support Programs

23:51 The Role of Care Coordinators in Simplifying Processes

25:07 Exploring Waiver Programs and Their Benefits

26:28 Assistance Beyond Healthcare: Housing, TANF, and SNAP

28:12 Integrating Support Systems for Families

28:46 Spotlight on the Utah Parent Center

31:53 The Children's Center: Focused Support for Young Children

35:11 Expanding Access to Care Coordination Services

38:56 Closing Thoughts: The Impact of Community Support

Follow along on The Sad Moms Club's Instagram: @the.sad.moms.club

Postpartum doulas offer physical and emotional support after the birth of your baby through the first year postpartum.

Two best friends, McKayla Broadhurst and Tiara Monson, started Bountiful Doulas after learning about the profession during their personal postpartum experiences and realizing they could have used that help.

Bountiful Doulas is comprised of a team of experienced postpartum doulas, newborn care specialists, sleep coaches, and perinatal nutrition experts. They serve families across Utah and are dedicated to helping your transition into early parenthood. They provide personalized day and overnight support in Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Summit counties.

Resources:

• Bountiful Doulas Website
• @bountifuldoulas on Instagram
• Be Her Village, you can include postpartum doula support on your gift registry
• Carrot Fertility, some insurances offer postpartum doula coverage

Follow along on The Sad Moms Club's Instagram: @the.sad.moms.club