Health and Human Services News

Where every Bear belongs

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The story of Paddington Bear conveys themes of kindness, open-mindedness and the importance of welcoming others.  

Paddington, a bear from “darkest Peru,” arrives in London, England, as a stranger and finds compassion and acceptance from the Brown family.  

Paddington Bear
Paddington Bear

Michael Bond, the story’s author, was inspired to write this beloved series of children’s books after discovering a lone stuffed bear in a London store on Christmas Eve in 1956. He bought it as a gift for his wife.  

The bear’s “refugee” status reminded Bond of the children evacuated from London during World War II or those who escaped from mainland Europe as the war began. Since the publication of the first book in 1958, “Paddington Bear has come to embody values of warmth, politeness and inclusivity.”  

A symbol of kindness at Missouri State  

Just as Paddington Bear found friendship, guidance and acceptance in a new and unfamiliar place, so do faculty, staff and students at Missouri State University. 

Paddington’s story symbolizes openness to others, reminding all of us of the value in offering support, patience and understanding to those seeking new beginnings. These values resonate with themes of embracing differences, extending warmth to newcomers and experiencing the transformative power of kindness. 

Gratitude campaign with the McQueary Bear 

This year, the McQueary College of Health and Human Services (MCHHS) elevated its annual gratitude campaign with a small token of appreciation. 

Before Thanksgiving break, all MCHHS full-time faculty and staff received the 2024-25 McQueary Bear as a symbol of the Paddington spirit – a memento celebrating the lasting impact each faculty and staff member has on students.  

The MCHHS Bear serves as a reminder that kindness and support can make all the difference in helping someone feel at home. 

Welcoming new students

However, the MCHHS Bear story does not end there. In spring and summer 2025, all new MCHHS students will also receive their own bear to commemorate their journey to a new home.  

This bear will serve as a reminder of Paddington’s story, where a small act of kindness —taking in a bear — leads to countless wonderful experiences and lasting friendships. Whether you are a bear from Peru, London, Springfield or anywhere else in the world, Missouri State/MCHHS is a supportive place where all Bears are indeed welcome. 

Be on the lookout for the MCHHS Bears, as “all bears need a good home.” 

Explore MCHHS

Dr. Ashlea Cardin featured in Mind’s Eye

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Congratulations to Dr. Ashlea Cardin for her feature in the Mind’s Eye magazine. Cardin is an associate professor of occupational therapy at Missouri State University.

Her research dives into removing barriers that prevent and/or restrict people from engaging in meaningful daily activities they need to do, want to do or must do that occupy their time. When they cannot engage in these activities, it affects their health and quality of life. 

She focuses her work on two groups – babies (and their family members) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Amish community.

Congratulations Dr. Cardin!

The full story is now available online.

Excerpt:

As an infant, Dr. Ashlea Cardin came into the world with many limb differences. This meant undergoing plenty of surgeries, therapies and rehabilitation throughout her childhood.

While she received high-quality care, it was not geared toward kids or their families.

“My therapy looked very much like a younger version of adult therapy,” said Cardin, associate professor of occupational therapy at Missouri State University. “I loved my therapists, but my therapy wasn’t fun.”

Her parents also lacked the information and guidance to help her at home. This caused them to see her as fragile, afraid of what she could and could not do.

“They didn’t have that person or coach who came alongside them and said, ‘It’s OK she does cartwheels or push-ups or goes across the monkey bars. Her movements are going to look a little bit different. Here’s how we protect her body. Here’s how we adapt,’” Cardin said.

Their collective experiences — both positive and negative — led her to pursue a career in health care, as a pediatric occupational therapist (OT).

MSU Care Clinic expands coverage

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Three years ago, the MSU Care Clinic saw an average of 330 patients a month. Today, that number is closer to 85. Beginning Sept. 3, the clinic will make a change that will restore its ability to care for as many underserved patients as possible.

The steep drop in patients is the result of Missouri’s expansion of Medicaid.

“We saw that expansion happen during the pandemic, and it gave greater access to Medicaid to those who needed it most,” said Justin Gassel, MSU Care Clinic manager. “But it also meant our clinic suddenly couldn’t accept a large number of patients we were previously caring for.”

About the clinic

The MSU Care Clinic is a collaboration between Mercy Hospital Springfield and Missouri State University. It opened inside the O’Reilly Clinical Health Sciences Center on the MSU campus in 2015 to provide free health services and medication to underserved and uninsured patients.

“The MSU Care Clinic epitomizes the very essence of the university’s public affairs mission,” said Dr. Mark Smith, dean of the McQueary College of Health and Human Services at Missouri State.

“The clinic provides a valuable service to the community while simultaneously serving as an educational center for the upcoming health care workforce of the future. MSU faculty and staff are excited about the expansion of the clinic and, in collaboration with Mercy, are dedicated to serving and providing patients quality and affordable medical care.”

Committed to serving more patients

Historically, to qualify for care, patients must be between 18-64 years old, have no health insurance, be ineligible for Medicaid and have a household income equal to or less than 200% of the federal poverty line. Starting Sept. 3, the clinic will eliminate the Medicaid ineligibility requirement to expand access to care to more members of the community.

“We serve a very targeted patient population,” Gassel said. “The Medicaid expansion was immensely helpful to patients across the state, but it meant that most of the patients we had built relationships with and who trusted us with their care could no longer continue seeing us. This will restore our ability to care for some of our community’s most underserved patients for whom there are limited options for care.”

Gassel added one of the goals of the clinic is to provide a medical home for uninsured patients whose lack of access to primary care often results in emergency room visits.

“That is not the best place for patients who simply need help managing routine care like diabetes and blood pressure. That’s where we come in. Our team works to get them set up with a medical home here at the clinic.”

Primary care makes up the bulk of the focus at MSU Care Clinic, but other health care services are also available, including simple procedures, vaccines, pharmacy counseling, nutritional guidance, lab work, EKGs and more. The clinic expects an increase in patients now that it can accept Medicaid patients, those ineligible to enroll in Medicaid and anyone else who meets the clinic’s eligibility requirements.

“Our mission is to provide a medical home for some of the most vulnerable people in our community,” Gassel said. “This expansion allows us to do exactly that.”

Explore the MSU Care Clinic

How to protect your skin this summer

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Summer is all about fun in the sun. Whether you’re hitting the beach, lounging by the pool, or enjoying a picnic in the park, the sun’s warmth feels amazing. While we all love a sun-kissed glow, shielding our skin is crucial.

Dr. Joshua Smith, professor of biomedical sciences at Missouri State University, explains how to protect your skin during the summer months.

What are the best types of sunscreen to use?

Read the full transcript.