It’s a problem young mothers face all too often across rural Missouri—finding private, accessible, dedicated lactation stations in public spaces.

According to a 2025 University of Missouri study, first-time mothers living in rural Missouri are more likely to stop breastfeeding earlier than those found in urban areas, primarily due to lack of breastfeeding access and support. More than 80 percent of Missouri mothers choose breastfeeding as the optimal form of infant feeding, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thanks to two Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) grants, one $500 grant funded a dedicated lactation room inside the Freeman Neosho Physician Group building in Neosho, while the second $500 grant funded two Ozark Center-based lactation rooms, one inside the Joplin-based Ozark Center Crisis Services building and one inside Bill & Virginia Leffen Center for Autism building. The grant also allowed Ozark Center officials to purchase supplies to equip already-existing lactation spaces found inside five additional Ozark Center buildings.

Coupled with the two grants, DHSS and the Missouri Breastfeeding Coalition officials recognized Freeman Neosho and Ozark Center officials with silver-level Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace Awards this month, which acknowledges organizations that go “above and beyond the legal requirement” to help their employees and local mothers care for their infant children.

Ozark Center

With the new lactation rooms inside Bill & Virginia Leffen Center for Autism and Crisis Services in downtown Joplin, Ozark Center offers a total of nine lactation spaces across its 30 facilities. Existing lactation stations can be found at Ozark Center Business Center, Community Care Program, Hope Spring, Will’s Place, Turnaround Ranch, New Directions, and the Psychiatry Residency office.  

“I was a young mother at one time, and it was really important to me that I had a place to be able to take care of those needs during the workday, while working at Ozark Center,” said Sarah Berrey, grant coordinator for Freeman, who was instrumental in securing the grants. “I love that Missouri has made it a priority for mothers to have clean, private spaces to be able to do this; they don’t have to be in a restroom hanging out in a stall. It’s so important to have discreet, safe, and comfortable locations for new moms.”

Both new Ozark Center lactation spaces offer privacy, complete with a comfy chair, mini-refrigerator, locks on doors, and signage indicating when the rooms are occupied. Ozark Center employs nearly 600 employees and serves 15,000 clients annually.

“Having these lactation rooms helps extend the opportunities for breastfeeding which extends all the benefits of breastfeeding to children and their moms,” said Vicky Mieseler, Ozark Center’s Chief Executive Officer. “I think we definitely need more (lactation spaces in Southwest Missouri).”

In addition to the two new rooms, new Ozark Center policy and educational materials were created to support breastfeeding at all nine locations, and each of those locations was specifically chosen to provide easy access for staff and clients, with most rooms situated near breakrooms.

As evidence of the need for such spaces, Berrey said an Autism Center staff member returning to work after maternity leave was thrilled to have such an inviting space to use while working.

Neosho

Freeman Health System’s Dr. Barbara Miller and Dr. Ashley McCleary were both instrumental in establishing a dedicated lactation room inside the Freeman Neosho Physician Group building. Both were recognized during a December 19 ceremony where they received the silver-level DHSS Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace Award.

“I had two children during my residency and figuring out how to continue breastfeeding while working is always challenging,” Dr. Miller said. “You end up going into empty patient rooms, empty offices—you try to go wherever you can as quickly as you can.”

Dr. Miller said the effort was championed by Dr. McCleary, a second-year family medicine resident in Neosho. Dr. McCleary admitted she’s passionate about supporting breastfeeding mothers.

“I sometimes found myself in a position where I didn’t feel like I had a safe, secure place to be able to provide milk for my baby,” Dr. McCleary said, “so it was very important for our employees here to have this space available.”

A large storage closet inside the Freeman Neosho Physicians Group clinic was transformed into the lactation room, complete with comfortable chair, refrigerator, clock, and a locking door for safety and privacy. The room was put to immediate use, Dr. Miller said, when a visiting medical student used the space just after the furnishings were installed.