PODCAST · kids
Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast
by The Gear Foundation
Where Technology Meets Humanity explores how meaningful tech supports families with disabilities, caregivers, and adults with special needs. Created by The Gear Foundation, makers of Stella, this podcast shares real stories, expert insights, and tools that empower rather than overwhelm. When technology listens first, it becomes a partner—helping people find clarity, hope, and connection.
Episodes
-
Is Your Child’s ABA Therapy Working? How to Audit Quality & Demand Assent-Based Care
Are you getting the full clinical and developmental value out of your child’s Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services? In this episode of Strategic Humanity, presented by the Gear Foundation, we dive deep into The ABA Reality Check—a strategic roadmap designed to transform parents from...
-
Bridging the Gap Between ABA Therapists and Families
In this episode of Where Technology Meets Humanity, a Podcast by the Gear Foundation, we dive deep into the real-world experiences of Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) navigating the ABA therapy landscape. Behind every breakthrough and celebrated...
-
Respite Care Vouchers: How Special Needs Parents Can Get Funded Breaks Without a Medicaid Waiver
Are you a special needs parent running on absolute empty, managing chronic therapy schedules, IEP meetings, and sensory overload—yet stuck on a 5- to 15-year Medicaid waiver waitlist? You don't have to wait years or pay out-of-pocket to get a desperately needed break.In this episode, we break…
more -
The Five-Layer Caregiver Blueprint: Moving from Intention to ROI
This episode operationalizes a five-layer corporate infrastructure blueprint to stabilize the 75% of the workforce actively managing caregiving responsibilities (technical report). We analyze the structural failures of standalone benefits, demonstrating why an unsupported human resources policy...
-
The Trillion Dollar Caregiving Blindspot
The Trillion Dollar Caregiving Blindspot What if one of the biggest financial risks facing your organization isn't on your balance sheet—because you're not measuring it? In this episode of Where Technology Meets Humanity, Dave Krikac uncovers the hidden economic impact of caregiving in the...
-
The Employee You Cannot Afford to Lose
Why Special-Needs Parents Are Your Hidden Retention Risk What if the employees carrying the greatest burden in your organization are also some of your most valuable performers? In this episode of Strategic Humanity, Dave Krikac—founder of The G.E.A.R. Foundation, creator of Stella, and father of…
more -
The Front Door Problem: Redesigning Interviews for Neurodiverse Talent
Are your traditional interview processes filtering out the high-performing talent your organization desperately needs? In this episode, we tackle the "front door problem" in corporate recruiting, examining how standard interviews engineered for neurotypical social performance—such as making eye...
-
Three Stories That Tell You Where Special Needs Families Stand Right Now
What happens when millions of dollars move through the special education system, but a parent sitting in a parking lot at 9:00 PM still can’t decipher a waiver application? In this episode, we break down three major stories shaping the special needs community right now. From a fresh $144 million...
-
The $12.9 Million Blind Spot The CFO's Guide to the Sandwich Generation
This episode analyzes a recent technical report detailing the severe financial exposure organizations face from unsupported caregiving employees. We evaluate structural workforce data indicating that the "Sandwich Generation"—individuals caring for both children and aging parents—constitutes 23%…
more -
The Senior Leaders Secret
Are your highest-performing senior leaders quietly suffering from a massive cognitive drain? The sources reveal that family caregivers spend an average of $7,242 out-of-pocket annually, with those reporting work-related strains spending up to $10,525 a year. This hidden financial scarcity imposes…
more -
The Hiring Architecture Problem
Are you an HR director or corporate executive struggling to access the neurodivergent talent pool despite offering strong post-hire accommodations? Most enterprise neuro-inclusion efforts fail at the "front door" because foundational hiring architecture—like job descriptions, psychometric tests,...
-
The New Majority: Navigating Special Education
The special education system is cracking at every joint, but the builders are already here. The New Majority is a podcast dedicated to navigating the reality of the 8.2 million students currently qualifying for special education services. We break down the complexities of the system into plain,...
-
Strategic Humanity: Scaling Disability Inclusion from Pilot to Practice
Are you an HR director seeking data-driven talent strategies or a parent of a child with special needs navigating corporate accommodations? This episode examines business commentary detailing how enterprise organizations transition temporary hiring pilots into permanent, high-ROI workforce...
-
Companies Getting It Right: The Backup Shift Series (Part 1)
Are you an HR director of a retail or corporate company struggling with the astronomical costs of frontline churn? With retail turnover running between 60% and 85% annually, a standard 100-person store can easily bleed $600,000 a year in replacement costs alone.In Part 1 of our two-part series…
more -
Issue: The Caregiver ROI
Have you ever walked into a budget meeting to pitch an employee support program, only to be shut down by the CFO asking, "What's the return?".In this episode, we dive deep into the numbers and explore why offering caregiver support benefits for parents of children with special needs is no longer...
-
The Flexible Agreement
Are you an HR leader struggling to retain top talent who are also parents of children with special needs? Traditional 8:00 to 4:30 schedules often force these employees to choose between their careers and attending vital IEP meetings or therapy sessions without the constant fear of failing at...
-
The Second Wave: Why the Silver Tsunami Is Already Inside Your Building
Are you an HR director whose benefits strategy relies heavily on standard childcare and parental leave? A hidden crisis known as the "Silver Tsunami" is already impacting your highest-output contributors, as more than 11,000 Americans turn 65 every single day. Today's workforce is increasingly...
-
Decoding IDD Funding: A Guide for Parents
I have been wanting to do this Podcast for a LONG time. Are you a parent navigating the complex world of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) services? You aren't alone. In this episode, we break down the systemic barriers into clear, actionable realities to help you understand…
more -
The "Untapped" Goldmine: Why Neurodiversity is Your Next Great Talent Strategy
Are you an HR Director struggling with high turnover, or a parent of a child with special needs wondering what happens after the school years end?Last week, we discussed "Parental Leave 2.0" and the daunting "Cliff" families face when a child reaches adulthood. Today, we explore how to turn that...
-
The New Parental Leave
Are you an HR director looking to improve employee retention, or are you among the thousands of parents raising children with special needs who are approaching adulthood?When a child with a disability turns 18 or 22, they hit what is known as "The Cliff"—a terrifying moment when guaranteed...
-
THE INVISIBLE CRISIS: Why Your HR Team Must Prepare for "The Cliff"
Are your HR strategies prepared for the 2027 watershed moment? We are approaching an "Invisible Crisis" in the workforce. Every year, over 50,000 young adults with special needs graduate high school and hit "The Cliff"—the day the safety net of IEPs and daily structure vanishes. This leaves their...
-
Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Caregiver’s Double Life & The HR Solution
Are your employees living a "double life"? In this deep-dive finale of the Strategic Humanity in Motion series, we uncover the hidden workforce of special needs parents who balance high-performance careers with the high-pressure clinical management of their children.Join us as we explore how the...
-
Building Inclusive Workplaces for Neurodivergent Talent
Join us for this special episode, which is a featured part of the Strategic Humanity newsletter series on LinkedIn. We are diving into a powerful conversation about the invisible walls that hinder mobility and career opportunities for the special needs community in Middle Tennessee. This episode...
-
The Economics of Inclusion
For decades, hiring adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) was viewed as an act of charity—a "nice to have" that lived separately from the bottom line. The Economics of Inclusion is here to dismantle that myth.Hosted by the team behind The GEAR Foundation, this series draws...
-
Manager Scripts That Don’t Make It Weird: Supporting Special Needs Parents at Work
Have you ever experienced the "Managerial Freeze"? It is that moment of uncomfortable silence when an employee mentions a major personal challenge—like raising a child with special needs—and you simply don't know what to say. You care, but you are paralyzed by the fear of offending them, crossing...
-
Strategic Humanity: The Seen Employee
You probably have at least one employee right now who is quietly holding their world together with duct tape and hope. They show up and do good work, but they are constantly juggling therapy appointments, IEP meetings, and medical crises alongside a rigid 8-to-5 schedule. The tension is palpable....
-
Strategic Humanity: Building Inclusive Workplaces for Special Needs Families
Bridge the gap between intention and reality in your workplace culture.Welcome to Strategic Humanity, the podcast designed for HR leaders, business owners, and managers who want to better support employees raising children with special needs. Hosted by an expert with real-world experience helping...
-
What Is Stella? How AI Is Helping Parents Navigate Autism and Special Needs
Well, here is the story of Stella. As you will hear she was created to take care of the growing bureaucracy, like how to decode confusing acronyms like IEPs and Medicaid waivers without getting a law degree.• Concierge vs. Search Engine: Why you need a verified database that prioritizes answers,...
-
ABA Therapy Explained: What Parents of Children with Autism Need to Know
Small Steps, Big Wins is a podcast created for parents who want practical help, real encouragement, and tools that actually work in everyday life. Each episode breaks down proven strategies—like task analysis, visual supports, and positive behavior approaches—into simple, doable steps you can use...
-
How Parents Can Use AI to Navigate Autism and Special Needs Services
Are you navigating the "unfair gauntlet" of special needs parenting where the difficult phases don’t just pass, but pileup? You are not alone. The Adaptive Parent is your weekly guide toresilience, strategy, and survival in the rapidly evolving landscape of 2025. Hosted for parents raising...
-
What Actually Works for Families Raising Children with Disabilities
Are we failing our most vulnerable students? In this episode, we unpack the systemic fractures facing the U.S. special education system—from the classroom to the transition into adulthood.Drawing on major 2024-2025 reports, we analyze the collision of a historic special education teacher shortage...
-
Raising Children with Special Needs: Lessons Every Parent Should Know
Are you feeling the weight of the "2025 stress crisis"? You are not alone. In this episode, we break down the seismic shifts rocking the American family landscape this year—from major legislative changes to the Surgeon General’s latest warnings—and what they specifically mean for families…
more -
Navigating 2026 TN SNAP Changes: A Survival Guide for Parents of Children with Special Needs
Are you raising a child with special needs in Tennessee? The landscape of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is undergoing a massive structural evolution for Fiscal Year 2026. In this explainer, we break down exactly how the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act of 2025 and...
-
Why Your State and ZIP Code Affect Disability Funding and Services
Why does your zip code determine whether your child with disabilities gets help — or is left waiting for years? In this episode, we break down the hidden structure of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) support system and why access to Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services...
-
Empowering the Visually Impaired: Jobs, Law, and Technology
This comprehensive overview explores the socioeconomic reality for the 52 million Americans spanning the hierarchy of vision difficulty—from widespread age-related decline to severe clinical blindness,. While the ADA and subsequent amendments (ADAAA) sought to eliminate discrimination, the data...
-
Respite Care Explained: How Parents of Children with Disabilities Can Get Help
Caring for a child with special needs is often an invisible marathon. It’s filled with love, but also constant logistics, pressure, and round-the-clock caregiving. Many parents face impossible choices—trusting a stranger with their child or relying on a family member who may not be trained. Over...
-
The Disability Inclusion Advantage
Disability Inclusion: The Payoff | Why Hiring People with Disabilities Drives Real Results In this video, we unpack the eye-opening insights from the 2024 Disability Equality Index — showing how disability inclusion is far more than good ethics… it’s good business. Did you know companies that…
more -
Am I Being Scammed? Immediate Steps to Protect Yourself
Have you received an urgent message claiming your account is locked? Stop. Do not click. In this episode, we break down exactly what to do if you suspect you are being targeted by a scammer. From "tech support" pop-ups to "urgent" bank alerts, scammers use panic to trick you. We cover the…
more -
How Neurodiverse Students Thrive: A Parent's Guide to Success
Stop the Struggle, Unlock Their Strengths: How a Neuro-Affirming Approach is Transforming Your Child's Education.Are you tired of hearing about your child's "deficits" or goals focused on mandatory compliance? This essential conversation reveals the revolutionary shift from trying to fix...
-
5 Surprising Truths About How Technology Is Revolutionizing Communication
Unlocking Potential: How Technology Is Transforming Special Needs Communication Technology is changing the way vulnerable individuals learn, communicate, and connect — and in this episode, we break down the breakthroughs every parent, educator, and caregiver should know about. From AAC devices…
more -
The IEP Survival Guide: What Every Parent Needs to Know
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) process often feels like a labyrinth designed to confuse rather than assist. It leaves parents buried under paperwork and paralyzed by jargon. This episode dismantles that maze. We provide a clear, strategic map to navigate special education protocols…
more -
Tennessee Disability Resources: A Parent's Guide to Services and Support
Navigating disability services in Tennessee can feel like trying to solve a giant puzzle without the picture on the box. In this episode, we break everything down into a simple, step-by-step roadmap for families. We walk through the essentials—Katie Beckett, SSI, and Children’s Special...
-
Special Needs Parenting: Myths, Facts, and Finding Support
Welcome to our podcast. We cover a HUGE umbrella of topics on this one and in future podcasts we will break these up into smaller pieces so please subscribe. The GEAR Foundation Podcast: Navigating the Special Needs Journey with Stella Are you overwhelmed trying to find accurate, trustworthy...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Where Technology Meets Humanity explores how meaningful tech supports families with disabilities, caregivers, and adults with special needs. Created by The Gear Foundation, makers of Stella, this podcast shares real stories, expert insights, and tools that empower rather than overwhelm. When technology listens first, it becomes a partner—helping people find clarity, hope, and connection.
HOSTED BY
The Gear Foundation
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast have?
Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast currently has 43 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast about?
Where Technology Meets Humanity explores how meaningful tech supports families with disabilities, caregivers, and adults with special needs. Created by The Gear Foundation, makers of Stella, this podcast shares real stories, expert insights, and tools that empower rather than overwhelm. When...
How often does Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast release new episodes?
Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast has 43 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast?
You can listen to Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast?
Where Technology Meets Humanity: The Special Needs Parent Podcast is created and hosted by The Gear Foundation.
URL copied to clipboard!