Empathy Affect
by Fors Marsh Media
Latest episode
S4E11: Boston's Community-Driven Approach to Opioid Settlement Funds
S4E11: Boston's Community-Driven Approach to Opioid Settlement Funds
About this podcast
On Empathy Affect, we explore the human side of government. We get to know the real people in government who serve us. We learn about their missions, the people they serve, and the true impact of their work. In each episode, we'll speak with real people about how they weave empathy into the policies and programs of government.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 52 episodes
- S4E11: Boston's Community-Driven Approach to Opioid Settlement Funds · 26 min · Season 4 Episode 11Boston asked residents what they needed before spending a dollar of its opioid settlement money. Christian Arthur, senior policy and strategy specialist at the Boston Public…
- S4E10: Building a Seamless Road to Recovery in King County · 43 min · Season 4 Episode 10What does it take to help someone not just survive an overdose, but find their way to recovery? This Recovery Month, Brad Finegood, strategic advisor at Public Health – Seattle &…
- S4E9: How Colorado is Building Its Next Generation of Wildfire Responders · 36 min · Season 4 Episode 9Colorado has stopped calling wildfire a season and started calling it a year-round condition. At the same time, it’s facing that threat with a firefighter workforce that’s…
- S4E8: A Shift to Prevention in National Drug Strategy · 51 min · Season 4 Episode 8The 2026 National Drug Control Strategy has made a notable shift toward primary prevention—stopping substance use before it ever starts—and reframes what a national approach to…
- S4E7: Can Listening Rebuild Trust in Public Health? Virginia's Commissioner Thinks So · 40 min · Season 4 Episode 7What does it take to rebuild trust in a public health institution, and can listening be a leadership strategy? Virginia State Health Commissioner Dr. B Cameron Webb explored…
- S4E6: Inside the Mission to Support Military Families · 32 min · Season 4 Episode 6Military families move every few years. They navigate deployments, career interruptions, childcare waitlists, and the daily weight of a life built around service. So, while…
- S4E5: When Listening Leads: Lessons from Maryland’s Digital Transformation · 30 min · Season 4 Episode 5Most of us only visit a government website when we really need something—unemployment benefits, a license renewal, or emergency aid. So when the experience is confusing, slow, or…
- S4E4: Who Will Run the Roads? The AI and Workforce Challenges Facing State Transportation · 37 min · Season 4 Episode 4What happens when the people who keep America moving start disappearing faster than we can replace them? Across the country, state transportation agencies are facing a workforce…
- S4E3: How FDA Protects The Food We Eat · 32 min · Season 4 Episode 3Most of us don’t think about food safety until something goes wrong—a recall notice or a moment in the kitchen when we wonder, “Is this still safe to eat?” In this episode, we…
- S4E2: How New York Is Building Mental Health Around People’s Lives · 27 min · Season 4 Episode 2Caring for your mental health isn’t just about treatment. It’s about living a full life. This is how the New York State Office of Mental Health is rethinking how we handle mental…
- S4E1: How Boston Is Using AI to Improve Work and Life in the City · 39 min · Season 4 Episode 1Technology has the power to make interacting with our cities and local governments smoother, easier, and more intuitive—but only when it's designed with people at the center. We…
- S3E12: The Cost of Climate Risk: Why Resilience Is Smart Business for New Jersey · 25 min · Season 3 Episode 12Disasters leave more than physical damage. They carry lasting financial consequences for the people, businesses, towns, and cities they impact. A new report from the New Jersey…
- S3E11: What Can Pennsylvania Teach Us About Why Rural Health Is the Health of America? · 32 min · Season 3 Episode 11Rural communities are the backbone of America—growing our food, fueling our economy, and sustaining traditions that reach far beyond county lines. But in Pennsylvania, as in much…
- S3E10: From Research to Recovery: How the VA is Changing PTSD Care · 36 min · Season 3 Episode 10PTSD is often called the “invisible wound” of military service. For many veterans, it shows up in nightmares, sudden triggers, or the feeling of being constantly on edge, making…
- S3E9: Florida’s Strategy for Resilient Homes and Insurance Stability · 38 min · Season 3 Episode 9As storms grow stronger and insurance becomes harder to access, Floridians are looking for answers—and support. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) is working to…
- S3E8: Redefining Recovery in California: San Francisco’s Public Health Approach to SUD · 34 min · Season 3 Episode 8Stories around substance use disorder (SUD) have too often been framed around crisis and moral failing. But SUD is a health condition—no different from heart disease or…
- S3E7: The Palm Beach Playbook for Person-Centered Recovery · 39 min · Season 3 Episode 7Palm Beach County, Florida, was the epicenter of the state’s opioid crisis for many years as pill mills and malfeasance plagued the county’s communities. Since 2017, the county…
- S3E6: Informed Is Empowered: How NYC Is Simplifying Data for the Public · 37 min · Season 3 Episode 6How do you turn complex environmental health data into something people can actually use—and trust? In this episode of Empathy Affect, we talk with Matthew Montesano, senior…
- S3E5: Simulation Saves Lives: How DHA Trains Combat Medics for the Battlefield · 27 min · Season 3 Episode 5On the battlefield or in an emergency, military health professionals must make life-or-death decisions under extreme pressure. So how do they prepare to step into a high-pressure…
- S3E4: The Road to Resilience: Georgia’s Playbook for Emergency Response · 27 min · Season 3 Episode 4Americans rely on safe roads, railways, and transportation infrastructure every day, so what goes into keeping them resilient and reliable both on the day-to-day and during…
