Poverty & Employment

Columbia's Community Vaccine Clinics: 'We Can Reach People Where They Are'

Trina Teacutter is the nursing supervisor for Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services. She spoke about how they have changed their tactics when it comes to vaccinations, and how “coming to people where they are” – though community-based vaccination clinics – is allowing them to reach more members of the community.

You can view this list of community vaccine clinics - here

Fighting the Stigma of Homelessness: 'Imagine Yourself with No Money, No Job, No Transportation - How Would You Pull Yourself Up?'

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.

'She Insisted I Go to Treatment When She Found Out I Had a Substance Abuse Problem'

Robert Harrison was born in St. Louis and has dealt with a substance use disorder throughout his life. After living drug-free for more than 20 years, Robert became the executive director of an alternative sentencing program in Columbia aimed at low-level drug offenders. He left his post two years later.

He spoke with KBIA’s Trevor Hook about why he first came to Columbia and sought treatment.

'The One's Who Cannot Afford It, They're in a Deep, Dark Crack'

Christina Jackson, along with her mother, Paula, and sister, Andrea, met me at an event called “The Art of the Scar” that was hosted by the Missouri Kidney Program in September.

Christina was diagnosed with lupus after high school, and then following issues with insurance coverage, she experienced kidney failure, numerous seizures, a stroke and a kidney transplant in her twenties

The family spoke about some of the ways they would like to see the healthcare industry change.

Elizabeth Modde and Sam McMillen: 'It's Having People You Care About - and Who Care About You.'

Sam McMillen and Elizabeth Modde are both medical students at the University of Missouri, and they work with MedZou – a free community health clinic run by medical staff and students.

Sam is currently the Director of Patient Advocacy and Referrals, and he sat down with Elizabeth in May to discuss some of the healthcare struggles their homeless patients face, and how their relationships with patients has changed them.

Carolyn Lewis and Sheila Artis on Self Directed Supports: 'If They Cut Something, that Could be My Job'

Carolyn Lewis lives in Audrain County, Missouri. She has worked for a man in Audrain County for ten years through the Missouri Department of Mental Health’s Self-Directed Supports program.

She spoke with her cousin, Sheila Artis, about some of the struggles she has faced while working with this program – like lack of benefits and raises throughout the years.

The man she works for also received a letter in the mail earlier this month letting them know that, following state budget restrictions, the program’s individual budget allocations had been adjusted to reflect a 2.82 percent budget cut.