Pennsylvania once again faces a state budget impasse, while federal shutdown threats ripple through communities. For many, these may seem like distant political battles—but for those serving children and families, the effects are immediate and profound.

I started my career as a parole agent in West Philly for seven years. I went to school for criminal justice but ruled out working in a forensics lab or law enforcement.

Fueling the future—both in my career and in the community—has always been important to me. Voce continues to grow, and I’m excited to grow with it and help lead the way forward.

Hockey great Wayne Gretzsky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” A few years ago, Dr. Kristen Hennessy, a licensed psychologist who works with children with histories of advanced trauma, took her shot at collaboration with an introductory email to Chief Charles “Chuck” Streightiff, Chief of Police for the Huntingdon Borough Police (Huntingdon, PA). The result was a game changer for keeping the children of Huntingdon safe.

What if all systems worked seamlessly to respond to the varied needs of children and families and operated from core mutually understood principles of child development and trauma? Voce’s Forum on Pennsylvania’s Children (FPaC) was born out of the need to increase systems collaboration and provide education so that children and families are served with greater expertise and efficiency.

My name is Jena Braunsberg. I am an attorney who works at Voce, and I have multiple disabilities, which may not be evident if you meet me, but they affect how I view myself in the world. This Disability Pride Month, my story may help you understand why accessibility is important to everyone.