Health and Human Services News

Gratitude in action

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As the trees on the Missouri State University campus transitioned into their fall colors and the semester reached full speed, McQueary College of Health and Human Services (MCHHS) once again paused to do something simple and powerful: say “thank you.”  

In November, MCHHS marked the fourth year of its Gratitude Campaign, a tradition that began in 2022 and has steadily grown across the college.  

“What started as a modest effort has become a regular part of how the college lives out Missouri State’s public affairs mission and its new strategic plan”, said Dr. Mark Smith, MCHHS dean.    

Why gratitude mattered this fall 

In recent months, college leadership has talked about education as an act of love and hope, an educational experience and work environment grounded in courage, care and a shared responsibility for one another.  

Post Card for Gratitude CampaignIn that context, gratitude became more than a nice idea. It was a concrete way to:  

  • (Re-)build trust  
  • Strengthen a sense of belonging  
  • Create the kind of place that allows people to take risks, admit mistakes and grow  

“When someone takes a moment to thank a faculty or staff member, colleague or administrator, that simple act signals, ‘You’re seen … what you do matters here,’” Said Smith.  

Connecting to Missouri State’s strategic plan  

The university’s strategic plan calls for a campus culture that is connected and mission driven. It emphasizes:  

  • Building a strong sense of community and belonging  
  • Recognizing and celebrating contributions  
  • Creating environments where students, faculty and staff feel supported and engaged  

 The Gratitude Campaign helped make those goals real. Each note card is a meaningful personal expression of Missouri State’s public affairs mission.  

Turning values into practice  

During the year, MCHHS has highlighted several “Belonging in Action” traditions, including Homecoming, graduation and pinning ceremonies, college retreats and listening sessions.  

The Gratitude Campaign joined that list as another way the college turned values into daily practice.  

As gratitude cards made their way around the college recently, they carried a simple message: together, we are building the kind of environment where students, staff and faculty feel valued.

Explore MCHHS

A decade of caring for underserved communities

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On Oct. 15, the Missouri State University Care Clinic celebrated its 10th anniversary with leaders from Mercy and community members.  

The clinic opened in 2015 on campus to provide free health services and medications for underserved and uninsured patients. Since then, it has served more than 33,000 patients through a wide range of services, expanding primary care access for Springfield neighbors.  

Milestone grounded in community care 

Connie Sayre has served at the clinic since day one. 

“I love that we’re here to care for our patients and that Missouri State and Mercy have teamed up to make sure our most vulnerable patients have access to care,” she said. 

The clinic provides primary care, vaccines, pharmacy counseling, nutrition guidance, lab tests and electrocardiograms. It also offers in-clinic procedures, such as wound care, suture removal, ear irrigation and nebulizer support. 

Many visitors cannot afford traditional primary care or have delayed care; some are homeless or lack transportation.   

“Our goal is to provide a medical home for our patients who often don’t fit into the traditional health care model,” said Clinic Manager Justin Gassel.  

In September 2024, services expanded to include Medicaid patients. The clinic currently sees an average of 210 patients per month. 

A successful training site and collaborative network

Dr. Mark Smith (at the podium) delivers his remarks.
Dr. Mark Smith (at the podium) delivers his remarks.

Staffed by providers from Missouri State and Mercy, the clinic also serves as a training site for students in the university’s physician assistant, pharmacy, dietetics and nursing programs. 

In addition to primary care services, the clinic provides essential resources, including hygiene kits, groceries and winter clothing. These items are made possible through organizations like Community Partnership of the Ozarks, Convoy of Hope, Mercy Health Foundation and Ozarks Food Harvest. 

“Hosting the MSU Care Clinic is an honor that exemplifies Missouri State’s public affairs mission in action,” said Dr. Mark Smith, dean of the McQueary College of Health and Human Services. 

“This clinic gives our students invaluable hands-on experience while equipping them with the knowledge and skills to serve others as future health care professionals. At the same time, our community’s neediest members benefit from quality, accessible care, demonstrating that lasting impact happens when education, compassion and community partnerships work hand in hand.” 

Check out the MSU Care Clinic

Breaking ground for a healthier tomorrow

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Aug. 25, 2025, was a momentous day for health care in Springfield.  

The Alliance for Healthcare Education held its official launch and broke ground on a $15 million expansion at Cox North, the alliance’s home. In attendance were several hundred people, including Gov. Mike Kehoe, other government officials, community leaders and Missouri State faculty, staff and students. 

The project will create an advanced learning environment to prepare more students for health care careers. 

Two years ago, Missouri State University, CoxHealth, Ozarks Technical Community College and Springfield Public Schools partnered to identify and train the next generation of health care professionals. The goal is to address critical workforce shortages in southwest Missouri. 

The Alliance creates pathways for health careers for students. These pathways begin when they are juniors in high school through dual-credit arrangements and continue as far as a master’s degree. 

Gov. Kehoe praised the initiative, calling the Alliance a “trendsetter” that other communities will want to replicate.  

According to the Alliance Executive Director Shallina Goodnight, the Alliance is not just a campus. 

“It’s a commitment and it belongs to all of us,” she said. 

More opportunities for Missouri State

Students hold placards highlighting their future health care careers.
Students hold placards highlighting their future health care careers.

For Missouri State students, the Alliance and expansion of its home mean more seats, more resources and more real-world experience. 

“The Alliance expansion is more than bricks and mortar; it’s a bold investment in the future of health care and higher education in our region,” said Dr. Mark Smith, dean of McQueary College of Health and Human Services.  

“At Missouri State, we see students not just as learners, but as future leaders who will transform lives and communities. By combining advanced training with our public affairs mission, we’re preparing graduates who will fill critical workforce needs and shape a healthier, more compassionate future.” 

Thanks to the Alliance, Missouri State has been able to expand the number of openings in its nursing programs. Along with Ozarks Tech, the university introduced its first cohort for nursing degrees this fall. 

Among the students in the program are Raphael Sende and Jamie Fabozzi. 

Sende, who grew up in Nigeria, chose to pursue nursing as a result of a personal experience. He lost his mother due to medical negligence and he did not want that to happen to any other family member.  

He noted that the labs and lower student-teacher ratio in the program make learning easier. 

As for Fabozzi, she was inspired to become a nurse after her own health challenges. The nurses who cared for her made a difficult time less miserable, and she knew she wanted to do that for others.  

She said she appreciates learning in the hospital setting and realistic simulation labs. 

Welcoming new partners 

At the event, the Alliance announced the addition of new workforce affiliates – Burrell Behavioral Health and Citizens Memorial Hospital – to address mental health and rural health care, and expand training opportunities. They join Evangel University, who was the first educational affiliate. 

Burrell President Clay Goddard emphasized the importance of including mental health in health care education.  

“Every one of us is touched by mental health,” he said. “We can break down barriers to quality care together.” 

Citizens Memorial CEO Michael Calhoun highlighted how critical local talent is for rural health. 

“Rural health care depends on homegrown talent,” Calhoun said. “By partnering with the Alliance, we’re ensuring students can return home to serve.” 

As the Alliance founding partners continue pursuing more affiliates, it could become the region’s largest producer of health care professionals. 

“The Alliance’s expansion is a powerful reminder that higher education thrives when it’s connected to community,” Smith said.  

“At Missouri State, we work together with partners to meet the real needs of the people we serve. This effort ensures our students gain skills for their careers while also learn what it means to give back — strengthening health care, families and communities across southwest Missouri.” 

Explore the Alliance for Healthcare Education

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