Mental Health

Dr. Olugbemisola Obi is the medical director for the NICU, or neonatal intensive care unit, at MU Health Care in Columbia.

She says the hospital has seen some mothers lately who are very sick from COVID-19 – so sick in fact that their babies are delivered pre-term. She spoke about the impact that having a premature baby in the NICU – while also being COVID-19 positive –can impact a family.

The CDC now recommends the COVID-19 vaccination for anyone who is currently pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, or might become pregnant in the future.

Dr. Laura Vricella is an OB-GYN and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis.

She spoke about how the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has impacted her and her staff, and about some of the ways that COVID-19 infections seem to be impacting expectant mothers and their babies.

**Note: This piece does discuss infant loss and could be disturbing to some listeners.

Jeanee’ Kennedy is the Chief Nursing Officer for Freeman Health Systems in Joplin. For several weeks now, Joplin has had the worst COVID-19 hospitalization rate in the county.

In fact, Jeanee’ said their hospital recently had to open a third COVID unit to accommodate all of their patients.

She spoke about what she’s seeing in her community and about how this current surge is taking a toll on nurses and other frontline health workers.

Andrew Pham and Alice Yu are both members of the Mizzou Asian American Association.

They spoke about the challenges of rallying a historically disconnected Asian American community in the aftermath of recent hate crimes – and about how their generation might be the ones to overcome those challenges.

This piece was reported and produced by Hannah France.

Reverend Fred Leist and Teressa Gilbreth both work at Missouri United Methodist church in downtown Columbia.

They reflected on the past year or so of the coronavirus pandemic and spoke about how their congregation remained supportive through an emotionally taxing COVID-19 lockdown and how they’re NOW looking forward to rebuilding their community.

This piece was reported and produced by Levi Moltz-Hohmann.

Steve Hollis and Darren Morton work closely together combating the issue of homelessness in Columbia. Hollis is the Human Services Manager of Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, and Morton is the Director of Turning Point, an organization that works with people experiencing homelessness.

They spoke about breaking the stigmas surrounding unhoused people, and about how important it is for the entire community to understand how difficult it can be to “pull yourself up” when there are no more bootstraps.

This piece was reported and produced by Becca Newton.

Steve Hollis and Darren Morton work closely together combating the issue of homelessness in Columbia. Hollis is the Human Services Manager of Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services and Morton is the Director of Turning Point, an organization that works with people experiencing homelessness.

They spoke about some of the barriers that Columbia’s unsheltered population faces when it comes to their mental health, and how it can affect their ability to access sufficient housing.

This piece was reported and produced by Becca Newton.

Father Francis Doyle is the pastor at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Columbia. He works closely with Deacon Michael Berendzen who coordinates the Columbia Catholic Hospital Ministry.

They spoke about how the Columbia Catholic Hospital ministry has had to make some changes to the Anointing of the Sick and hospital visits during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Emily Arth is a licensed clinical social worker and a therapist in Columbia. She spoke with reporter Olivia Love about understanding grief and about how everyone needs to give themselves the space and time to process grief during the ongoing pandemic. She urges everyone to seek out help if they need it.

This piece was reported by Olivia Love.

JoNetta Weaver is the executive director of Meals on Wheels of Columbia. She spoke about how the organization continues to offer hot meals to people in need, and about how they’ve had to tackle another health crisis during the ongoing pandemic – loneliness in the senior community.

Beth Orns and Katie McDannald are both mental health professionals in Columbia. They spoke about how their work has an impact on their own mental health, as well as about how even they need help, at times – especially in a year like 2020.

This piece was reported and produced by Olivia Love.

Mathew Gass and Matt Lemon both work at Burrell Behavioral Health. Mathew Gass is the President of the Central Region, which includes Columbia, and Matt Lemon is the Director of Communications for the entire Burrell system – based in Springfield.

They spoke about some of the mental health impacts the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has already had on Missourians, and about the long-term community-wide mental health impacts the pandemic is likely to leave in its wake.

Jabar is an inmate at Jefferson City Correctional Center. He’s been in prison for 25 years, after being sentenced to death row at 17. He is one of the youngest Missourians ever to be put on death row. Then after a retrial at age 19, he was sentenced to life without parole.

Jabar maintains his innocence, has written numerous books for children, as well as adults, based on his life growing up in St. Louis and his time in prison, and because of a law passed back in 2016, he has the chance to apply for parole as soon as this month.

This law allows people sentenced to life without parole prior to August 2016, for a crime they committed before they turned 18, to apply for a parole hearing after serving 25 years.

He spoke with me about how being in prison from such a young age has changed him, and about what keeps him going.

As a note, Jabar is a nickname.

Verna Laboy is a health educator for Columbia/Boone County Public Health & Human Services, and runs the Live Well by Faith program, a community-based health program that targets chronic health conditions through black churches.

The program supports health ministries at 17 black churches in the area by providing health programming, training and resources for people in the congregation, and leaders within each church help run programming and do data collection.

She spoke with Dee Campbell-Carter, a lifestyle coach for the program, about just a few of the ways the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is impacting the black community here in Columbia – and how they’re supporting one another.

Tashel Bordere is a specialist in youth development with the University of Missouri’s Department of Human Development and Family Science. She researches grief and loss in African-American youth.

She spoke with host Janet Saidi about cumulative loss and its impact on marginalized communities during the on-going coronavirus pandemic, as well as the nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police.

This is an excerpt from KBIA’s daily talk show, the Check-In with Janet Saidi, on Wednesday, June 3. You can hear the full show – here.

Madeline Nash is a counselor at University Counseling Services at Truman State University in Kirksville, and full disclosure, someone I knew during my undergrad at Truman.

She spoke about her role with college students since classes moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic, and about how students – and others – should “give themselves that empathy” to mourn the loss of things like graduation during this unprecedented time.

Dr. Bart Andrews is the Chief Clinical Officer at Behavioral Health Response in Creve Coeur and Chair of the Missouri Suicide Prevention Network.

He spoke about the possible increased risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts during the coronavirus pandemic – and about what everyone can do to help.

This piece was reported and produced by Trevor Hook.

This week’s Missouri Health Talks is a collaboration with Vox Magazine.

Hilary and Chad Hardesty have been trying to have a baby for more than seven years now, and while their doctors tell them they’re good candidates for IVF, the enormous price tag on the procedure has been a challenge for the couple.

They spoke with reporter Sarah Hallam about their efforts to raise money for IVF, in part, through their website, https://hardestyhouseinfertility.com.

You can read more about Hilary and Chad’s experiences with IVF in the March issue of Vox Magazine and online: What does it cost to undergo IVF?

This piece was reported by Sarah Hallam.

This week’s Missouri Health Talks is a collaboration with Vox Magazine.

Kelly Gilion is the owner of Plume, a local gift shop here in Columbia. She also started a support group for women dealing with fertility issues called Graceful Wait in 2010.

She spoke with reporter Sarah Hallam about how she was inspired to create this group by her own desire for support during her six-year struggle with infertility.

You can read more about Kelly and the support group in the March issue of Vox Magazine - available now around town and online at What does it cost to undergo IVF?

This piece was reported by Sarah Hallam.

Jannis Evans and Lynne Meyerkord both work in HIV advocacy. Jannis is the longtime advocate for people living with HIV and used to work in the field, and Lynne is the Executive Director at the AIDS Project of the Ozarks in Springfield.

I met up with them at the Jefferson City office of Empower Missouri.

They spoke about how the impacts and complications of an HIV diagnosis can go far beyond physical health.

Mataka Askari lives in Columbia and works as a certified peer specialist for Burrell Behavioral Health, but before that – he spent 23 and a half years in prison.

He spoke about post incarceration syndrome, a form of PTSD specific to those who have been in prison, and some of the ways it impacts his life every day.

Kelly Slater, Casey Smith and Matthew Huffman were all guests in October on KBIA's Intersection. You can here that longer interview hosted by KBIA reporter Kassidy Arena – here.

Kelly and Casey are both college students – Kelly is an online student at Arizona State University and Casey is a student at the University of Missouri, and Matthew is with the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.

They spoke about resilience after sexual assault and how to rebuild oneself after experiencing trauma.

This week’s Missouri Health Talks is a collaboration with Vox Magazine.

Jessica Trussell and Amy Bartels are both human development and family science specialists with the University of Missouri Extension. Jessica in Livingston County – Chillicothe – and Amy in Camden County.

They both teach a class called mental health first aid – essentially a training that gives adults tools to use to help identify mental health crises and connect others with resources. Amy focuses on teaching people who work with youth in schools.

You can learn more about mental health first aid in the October issue of Vox Magazine - available now in print and online: “In case of emergency: starting the conversation with mental health first responders.”

Dr. Val Farmer is a clinical psychologist in Wildwood that specializes in rural mental health, and Jason Medows is a pharmacist and cattle rancher in Rolla.

They spoke about the stigma surrounding mental health in rural communities and some of the ways that all people – not just mental health professionals – are breaking down stigma and promoting good mental health.

Laurie Hines is the director of the Missouri Kidney Program and a living kidney donor for her partner, Ted.

She spoke at an event hosted by KBIA and Missouri Health Talks at Café Berlin this past winter a little bit about how being involved with a paired kidney transplant has impacted her and her advocacy.

Cindy Polfelt has lived in Columbia for six years.

Cindy’s mother has Alzheimer's, and since her father passed away, Cindy has taken on the role of her mother’s personal caretaker. She feeds and clothes her mother every day, and can’t leave her house unless she finds someone to watch her mother – even then, it’s only for a few hours at a time.

Cindy says that it has affected her social life, and her independence. She spoke with her daughter, Jessica Hosack, about some of the stresses of being a caretaker.

Laurie Hines and Ted Glasgow have been together for many years. Ted is an accomplished bodybuilder - a six-time Mr. Missouri – but a few years ago he experienced kidney failure.

Ted was on dialysis for several years, but now Laurie is a living kidney donor and the director of the Missouri Kidney Program, and Ted is two and a half years post-transplant.

They reflect on their experiences and give some advice for others facing dialysis and organ transplants.

DeAnna Quietwater Noriega and Gretchen Maune, who’s a friend of mine, both live in Columbia and are blind.

They recently spoke about some of their health conditions that exist separately from their blindness and about some of the additional barriers they come up against in the health care system as a result of their blindness.