Finding Common Ground Podcast By ROC Vox Podcast Network cover art

Finding Common Ground

Finding Common Ground

By: ROC Vox Podcast Network
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Many families feel like they're treading water, especially those living with autism and other developmental differences. As your hosts, we get it, and we know this frustration all too well.

In response, we've created tried-and-true strategies that help everyday people achieve extraordinary things. Even those who might have doubted themselves can borrow our confidence, follow one of our "blueprints," and with a supportive community cheering them on, make the impossible happen.

Each success inspires those coming up behind us, creating a ripple effect of positive change—Which is why we'll never run out of content!Our podcast tackles tough issues head-on with unfiltered conversations focused on solutions.

We won't avoid "the elephant in the room"—in fact, we'll invite it to dinner! Our unique format appeals to people from across the globe, offering strategies that turn efforts for one into advocacy for the greater good. We breakdown topics like innovative housing, effective self-advocacy, and healthcare complexities, guided by our audience on what to cover next.

Each episode offers fresh perspectives, featuring many guests you won't find on mainstream platforms. We intentionally invite differing viewpoints because finding common ground with those we see as obstacles is the surest way to create new and innovative solutions.

Join our Supporter's Club and check out our merch. Let’s ensure the A/I/DD community's voice is heard. If you want to dig deeper, schedule a session with us. We happily work one-on-one, develop trainings, and offer public speaking engagements to assist individuals and organizations in promoting things like inclusivity and equity.

Join our community, plant seeds of positive change, and before you know it, you'll be moving mountains with us! Want to support our mission and access exclusive content? Join our Supporter's Club and check out our merch.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/finding-common-ground--6199849/support.©2026 ROC Vox Recording & Production Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • Her Mother Refused the Institution… The Rest Is History

    Her Mother Refused the Institution… The Rest Is History
    Mar 19 2026
    They told Loretta Claiborne’s mother there were places for children like her.

    Her mother said no.

    Instead, she raised Loretta with grit, dignity, and sky-high expectations. Even when Loretta struggled with motor skills and had to crawl to the table and pull herself up, her mother insisted on good manners.

    No elbows on the table.

    Why? Because someday, she said, Loretta might be eating with the president.

    She ended up meeting six of them.

    In this unforgettable episode of Finding Common Ground, Loretta shares the kind of story that makes people rethink what is possible. From the moment her mother refused institutionalization to the breakthrough that changed everything, when little Loretta called out her mother’s name for the first time, this conversation is filled with the moments that prove what can happen when someone believes in you before the world does.

    Loretta takes us through the tough love that shaped her, the counselor who pushed her toward Special Olympics, and the path that eventually led her to become a globally respected athlete, advocate, and speaker.

    Today she has met six U.S. presidents, and in this episode she even tells us which one she enjoyed spending time with the most.

    But what makes Loretta remarkable is not just what she achieved. It is how she lives. Helping neighbors shovel snow, pushing cars out of icy streets, knitting for babies and women she will likely never meet. Still showing us what persistence, dignity, and community look like in action.

    As Loretta reminds us:
    “Never let nobody underestimate the power of you.”

    And one lesson her mother made sure she learned early:
    “If you quit today, you’ll always be quitting.”

    This is an episode about refusing to accept limits, setting the bar high, and the life-changing power of expecting more.


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/finding-common-ground--6199849/support.

    Recorded at ROC Vox Recording & Production Studios in Rochester, NY. Learn more at rocvox.com.
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    35 mins
  • Can the System Catch Up Before Parent Shot Clocks Run Out?

    Can the System Catch Up Before Parent Shot Clocks Run Out?
    Mar 12 2026
    Families are often expected to hold everything together, yet too often they are treated like outsiders instead of experts. In this episode of Finding Common Ground, Steve sits down with OPWDD Commissioner Willow Baer for an honest conversation about what happens when families are carrying modern challenges inside a service system still shaped by outdated rules.

    One of the most powerful moments in the conversation comes when Willow reflects on the role families have always played in driving change:
    “Families are the largest unpaid workforce in the disability service system.”

    Steve presses on the urgency many parents feel every day, asking the question that sits in the back of so many families’ minds:
    “What happens to our kids when we’re not around anymore?”

    Together they explore the tension families face every day. Housing uncertainty, healthcare access, dual diagnoses, and the challenge of building flexible supports in a system that was never designed for today’s level of need.

    At the center of the conversation is a bigger truth. Families are already doing the work. The real question is whether systems can evolve quickly enough to meet them where they are.

    If you have ever felt like families are carrying the system while waiting for it to evolve, this episode will resonate.


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/finding-common-ground--6199849/support.

    Recorded at ROC Vox Recording & Production Studios in Rochester, NY. Learn more at rocvox.com.
    Show more Show less
    42 mins
  • Building Safety When the System Fails (Part 2)

    Building Safety When the System Fails (Part 2)
    Feb 27 2026
    If you suspect abuse, what do you do first, and how do you prove it?
    Part 2 shifts from systems analysis to step-by-step strategy. This is a must-listen for any family navigating OPWDD services, residential care, or crisis supports.Anil breaks down the practical actions parents can take immediately:
    • How to document concerns so they hold up legally
    • Why organization, timelines, and written notice matter
    • When to speak publicly and when to wait
    • How criminal cases and civil cases intersect
    • What “zealous advocacy” actually looks like in practiceWe discuss New York’s one-party consent law, evidence collection, and how to avoid unintentionally damaging your own case while trying to protect your child.We also explore:
    • The role of the IDDO Ombuds program and other state resources
    • How to support good DSPs while removing harmful ones
    • Burnout, staffing realities, and why calling is not enough without support
    • Parent-led housing models, economies of scale, and the funding inequities between self-direction and certified settings
    • The vision for Safe Care homes and a Foundation for Hope to close funding gaps for families without financial meansThis episode brings us back to the question every family carries:
    What happens to our children when we are no longer here?The answer isn’t waiting for the system to fix itself. It’s building structures, communities, and safeguards now.We close with a reminder that defines this entire series:
    No one is coming to save us. We are the cavalry.


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/finding-common-ground--6199849/support.

    Recorded at ROC Vox Recording & Production Studios in Rochester, NY. Learn more at rocvox.com.
    Show more Show less
    19 mins
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