PODCAST

Sometimes a Great Podcast

Oregon Department of Human Services

Catch up on this week"s news from Discover and listen to interviews of staff from around the state.

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00:15:26

Meanwhile, in the Pod of Justice!

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2026/01/05

Sometimes a Great Podcast: Discover ODHSSeason 1, Episode 38 — Jan. 5, 202615:26Fresh calendars. Old deadlines. And a Hall of Justice that never really closed. This week’s episode kicks off the new year SuperFriends-style — with leadership changes, clarified federal facts, and a full lineup of behind-the-scenes systems that quietly keep ODHS steady. From district transitions to digital safety, financial protection, and year-end accuracy, this episode is all about starting 2026 informed, prepared,

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00:14:19

The Big Picture of My Oregon Home

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/31

In this special year-end episode, The Big Picture becomes a road story — one told in miles, conversations, and quiet moments between destinations. Drawing from more than 10,000 miles traveled across Oregon for ODHS Communications, Bethany reflects on fear, visibility, and the slow, sometimes unexpected ways trust is rebuilt.What begins as a meditation on movement — from Astoria to Brookings, Burns to Enterprise — becomes a deeper exploration of belonging. Bethany shares how fear once shaped her

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00:37:54

It’s Time to Pod the Curtain! It’s Time to Pod the...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/29

Season 1, Episode 36: Dec. 29, 202537:54It’s the final episode of 2025, and we’re rolling out the metaphorical red carpet for the very first SAG-Ps Awards — the only award show where the swag is pizza, the carpet is hallway tile, and the performances are real people doing real work when no one’s watching. Recorded with a live District 10 judging panel, this episode celebrates the stories that made us stop, rewind, and say, “That mattered.” From cross-program teamwork to trauma-informed care,

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00:19:35

T’was the Pod Before Christmas

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/22

Season 1, Episode 34: Dec. 22, 2025With calendars creaking and inboxes begging for mercy, this week’s episode captures that unmistakable end-of-year ODHS energy — part urgency, part care, part quiet humor holding it all together. From critical SNAP updates to stories of community support, steady leadership, and holiday generosity, this episode closes out the year the way ODHS does best: informed, grounded, and still showing up for one another. And yes — we finish with a Writer’s Round-Up that might

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00:02:02

That's The FACT Thursday: Court order extends data...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/18

You may be hearing questions about Medicaid data sharing and immigration enforcement. In late November, CMS announced a federal policy that could allow limited Medicaid and Marketplace data sharing with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Oregon is actively challenging that policy in court, and a judge has ordered CMS not to share this data while the case continues. That court order has now been extended through January 5, 2026, meaning CMS is not legally allowed to share Medicaid or

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00:27:51

Deputy Director Dana Hittle” “Finding Hope in a Hard...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/17

Season 1, Episode 33: Dec. 15, 202528 min, 12 sec.What’s inside The Big PictureThis week, The Big Picture heads to the Barbara Roberts Building in Salem for a conversation with Acting Deputy Director Dana Hittle — the “Medicaid whisperer” whose work sits at the center of some of ODHS’ most complex decisions. Dana talks about Medicaid as a living structure that shapes who gets care and who risks falling through the cracks, and what it’s like to lead through HR1: shifting federal guidance, new work

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00:18:06

Jinkies, Scoob! It’s a podcast!

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/15

Season 1, Episode 32: Dec. 15, 2025 18:07This week, we’re rolling into the holidays Mystery Machine–style, cruising foggy Oregon roads with a full cast of Scooby-inspired stories — from compassionate holiday moments to agency-wide reminders that keep our teams safe, steady, and informed. We’re talking festive decorating do’s and don’ts, a federal update that cuts through the rumor fog, and a Velma-level spotlight on staff whose courage, clarity, and lived experience keep ODHS moving with heart. And

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00:04:21

That's the FACT Thursday: Proposed changes to the...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/11

The federal government has proposed changes to the public charge rule—used by immigration officers to decide whether someone seeking a visa or green card may depend heavily on government support—but the rules have not changed, and the 2022 public charge rule remains in effect. Most ODHS benefits do not count toward public charge; currently, only Medicaid-funded long-term care in a nursing home and TANF cash assistance are included, and the proposal does not add new programs. People can still safely

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00:30:28

ERGs and ODHS: “Humberto Nation of MiGente Goes...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/10

Season 1, Episode 31: Dec. 10, 202530 min, 28 sec.What’s inside The Big PictureThis week, The Big Picture heads to Corvallis for a conversation with benefit eligibility worker and Mi Gente ERG chair Umberto Nation, who breaks down what ERGs are really meant to do. He explains how they began as a way to bridge communities who often view government as distant, and the ODHS staff who share their cultural background and language.Umberto highlights the internal side of ERGs—recruiting, supporting, and

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00:19:31

Turn Up the Radi-ODHS: We’re Poddin’ on the Hits!

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/08

Season 1, Episode 30: Dec. 8, 202519:31This week, we’re cranking the dial all the way into 1990s radio nostalgia — where big-hearted updates meet big-haired energy, and every announcement lands like a power ballad hitting its final key change. From seasonal well-being tools and inclusive recruitment support to ERG community building and statewide planning for Oregon’s older adults, we’re spinning a playlist packed with clarity, care, and a few unexpected deep cuts. Then, as always, we close with a

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00:02:50

That's the FACT Thursday: No action taken on latest...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/04

On November 24, the Governor’s Office received a new letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In this letter, USDA repeated a request that Oregon provide specific SNAP eligibility information for every household member dating back to Jan. 1, 2020. The request includes personal information, such as names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, immigration status, income details, and EBT card numbers for every person listed on a SNAP case.USDA is requiring states to either send the

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00:28:21

An interview with our OEPeeps: Uncertainty on the...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/03

Season 1, Episode 29: Dec. 3, 2025 28 min, 21 sec.What’s inside The Big PictureThis week’s episode brings us to the Newport storefront office on the Oregon coast, where Bethany sits down with OEP eligibility workers Perla Garcia and Susan Reed for a candid conversation about serving families in a season shaped by HR-1, federal shutdown fears, and fast-shifting benefit rules. Perla and Susan describe what it’s like to be the first person someone sees when their SNAP benefits are delayed or uncertain,

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00:19:41

Planes, Trains & Automo-POD: ODHS Heads Out for the...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/12/01

Season 1, Episode 28: Dec. 1, 202519 mins. 41 secs.From a moving office party to maintaining statewide momentum, this edition heads out with a full itinerary: one “Transformation”al December deadline, and a travel-themed tour through four examples of the Magnificent Seven: the new Milton-Freewater office, fresh ERG membership updates, ODHS in the Veteran’s Day Parade, and a statewide Stand Down recap. Then, as always, we’ll wrap the whirlwind in a Writer’s Round-Up that tries to stick the Steve on

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00:34:38

“American Teenager” in Prineville: An interview with...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/11/26

Season 1, Episode 27: Nov. 25, 2025 34 min, 38 sec.What’s inside The Big PictureThis Friendsgiving edition of The Big Picture brings together author and journalist Nico Lang, whose book American Teenager follows transgender youth and their families, and Keya Rolston, OEP Change Leader and PFLAG organizer in Prineville—“Prideville” for the weekend. Nico shares stories like Jack and Auggie’s family in Florida, where domestic violence, homelessness, and loss of Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming

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00:18:18

It’s POD-giving with Friends at the ODHS Table

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/11/24

Season 1, Episode 26: Nov. 24, 202518 mins. 18 secs.From mystery casseroles to meaningful clarity, this Friendsgiving edition of Sometimes a Great Podcast serves up a full table’s worth of updates — two deadline reminders for December 1, one reassuring Fact of the Week, four policy dishes, and a closing reflection inspired by the Hundred Acre Wood.What’s InsideDeadline: ODHS (3:48)New Workday Learning login process for EELearners begins Dec. 1Support + troubleshooting resources for partners and

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00:02:03

Fun Friday: Lasso-ing a "Congratulations!" for our...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/11/21

As of this week, "Incoming Director Liesl Wendt" is now simply "Director." In recognition, one of non-America's most famous fake coaches wanted to offer his congratulations.

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00:01:35

That's the FACT Thursday: Nothing has changed for...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/11/20

Nothing about SNAP recertification has changed in Oregon. People should continue following their normal reporting and renewal schedule unless ODHS contacts them directly. Most households renew every 12 months with a 6-month report, while older adults and people with disabilities who have no earned income renew every 24 months with a 12-month report. Any additional reviews or reporting requirements are routine parts of SNAP. States cannot shorten certification periods or require early reapplications

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00:30:03

The Big Picture: “I feel it, too,” Jessica Ventura,...

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/11/19

The Big Picture: “I feel it, too,” Jessica Ventura, director of OIRASeason 1, Episode 25: Nov. 19, 202530 minWhat’s inside The Big Picture This week’s episode features Jessica Ventura, Director of the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, whose lived experience shapes her leadership in this moment of heightened fear and uncertainty. Jessica crossed the border at age five, grew up undocumented in North Portland, and carries firsthand insight into what communities are feeling today.Jessica

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00:20:54

Espresso Yourself! ‘Cuz ODHS is a Pod of Awesome!

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/11/17

Season 1, Episode 24: Nov. 17, 202521 mins. 54 secs.From the first jolt of Monday caffeine to the last refill that gets you through a long afternoon, this week’s episode is brewed for anyone running on grit, heart, and a little extra espresso. Each story percolates with warmth and resilience — from Oregon’s SNAP shutdown response to updates from Trauma Aware that kept our teams steady through uncertainty. Pour yourself a fresh cup and join Bethany and Shenika as they stir together guidance,

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00:01:41

That's the FACT of the Week: Latest status of Nov....

Sometimes a Great Podcast ·

2025/11/13

FACT of the WeekNovember 12, 20251 Min. 41 sec.Summary: This week’s information comes from the priority alert originally sent on Monday, November 10, featuring the latest status of November SNAP benefits. To start with the essentials: a federal court ordered the release of 100 percent of monthly benefits, and ODHS moved quickly to issue funds to all eligible Oregonians on November 7. Over the weekend, the Trump Administration attempted to challenge that decision, but that action won’t reverse what

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