(Joplin, MO) – Ozark Center executives and employees make it a habit to volunteer wherever and whenever possible. Volunteerism, after all, is a core component of Ozark Center’s overriding mission. During the month of May, however, they went above and beyond expectations.
One hundred and 10 hours, or 6,600 minutes, is how many additional hours Ozark Center employees donated to local nonprofits during the behavioral healthcare giant’s “60 Minutes More” initiative.
Ozark Center is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025, opening to the public on February 15, 1965.
“We started our celebration in February with a kick-off and then every month we’ve had something different planned so we can celebrate with our staff and our community together,” said Vicky Mieseler, Ozark Center’s Chief Executive Officer. “The month of May was ‘community’ month, and our charge to our 600 employees was to try and give back 60 minutes more. The reason we tacked ‘more’ on to the end of that is because so many of our employees are actively involved with volunteerism in our community all the time.”
Volunteerism highlights include:
- Creating a taco bar and serving meals to kids at Jasper County CASA
- Assisting with disabled children and adults playing baseball at the Will Norton Miracle Field
- Serving lunches to disables seniors at the Joplin Senior Center
- Socializing with dogs and cats and cleaning out pens at both the Joplin and Carthage Humane Societies.
- Prepping meals and cleaning rooms at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Four States
- Cleaning and organizing at the historic Phelps House in Carthage
- Removing obstacles from walking trails for Wildcat Glades Nature Group
- Assisting kids with fun activities during the McDonald County Water Safety Day hosted by the McDonald County Community Coalition.
“We love our community,” Mieseler said. “It was a great opportunity for our staff to do more.”
Ozark Center, thanks to its walk-in clinics, serves more than 15,000 patients each year. These clinics are just one of numerous achievements accomplished by Ozark Center over the last six decades, ranging from integrating substance use treatment, mental health care, and overall health care under a single roof to destigmatizing mental health as a whole; from providing housing for adults with serious mental illness to being early adopters of the Trauma Informed Care initiative – to name only a few.
About Freeman Health System:
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2024, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers and their experiences. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System one of the Best Hospitals for 2022. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 90 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services, women’s services, and many others for all of the Four State Area. Freeman is also involved in numerous community-based activities and sponsored events and celebrations. Additionally, in the Joplin/Pittsburg areas, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius.
About Ozark Center:
An integral component of Freeman Health System based in Joplin, Mo., Ozark Center provides comprehensive behavioral health services to children, adults and families in an area that includes more than 450,000 residents from Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Ozark Center continually looks for innovative ways to address the mental health needs of the community and promote awareness of mental illness in an effort to eliminate the discrimination associated with it. For more information, visit ozarkcenter.com or call 417.347.7600.
Reference:
Ozark Center
Freeman Health System
417.347.7600
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