Rebecca Smith
Health ReporterRebecca Smith is an award-winning reporter and producer for the KBIA Health & Wealth Desk. Born and raised outside of Rolla, Missouri, she has a passion for diving into often overlooked issues that affect the rural populations of her state – especially stories that broaden people’s perception of “rural” life. She created a conversations-based journalism project, Missouri Health Talks, in 2016 that empowers people throughout the state to share their stories of access to healthcare – in their own words.
She has degrees in both Journalism and Chemistry from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, and often says health reporting is the perfect marriage of individual’s stories and reporting on science.
You can reach her at smithbecky@missouri.edu or 573-882-4824.
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In-clinic abortion care has returned to Columbia after a long hiatus. KBIA’s Rebecca Smith takes us behind the scenes – on a tour of the local Planned Parenthood health clinic. -
Raine Atkinson is a trans/nonbinary college student in their early 20s. They spoke about the process of coming out to the important people in their life and about value of unconditional acceptance. -
The Mexico-Audrain County Library District recently began offering a new service in partnership with a local doctor. Christal Bruner is the director of the library district and spoke about how patrons can now check out blood pressure monitors when they need them, as well as new books that help better explain this and other health conditions. -
Emma Rohan is 23-year-old gender non-conforming lesbian. They spoke about affirming their queer identity – and rejecting the gender binary – through fashion. -
The Little Dixie Regional libraries, which cover Randolph and Monroe county, serve the health of their communities in lots of ways. Like a collection of small health equipment, such as thermometers and blood pressure cuffs, that can be checked out and a "Healing Library," a collection of interactive kits that allow families to tackle hard topics together. -
As of 8 a.m. Monday morning, abortions are once again available in Columbia. The procedure has been inaccessible to those living in mid-Missouri since the last abortion was performed at the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic in 2018. -
Jeff Terry and Travis Griffin both grew up in Joplin and met in middle school. They met in middle school growing up in Joplin, but didn’t reconnect – or fall in love – until their 30s after living through the 2011 Joplin tornado. -
The Moberly School District recently opened the Little Spartans Clubhouse," an embedded, in-school daycare option for district teachers. Vicky Snodgrass is the director of the Little Spartan Clubhouse and spoke about how this new resource benefits students, teachers – and the community as a whole. -
In 2022, the Missouri State legislature passed a law calling for the Missouri Department of Corrections to open a nursery - allowing moms to stay with their infants for up to 18 months within prisons. KBIA’s Rebecca Smith recently attended the opening of the facility and has more on how they aim to benefit mothers, infants and other inmates. -
Anna Porter is a 30-year-old bisexual and polyamorous woman. She spoke about how going to college – and moving away from her religious upbringing – gave her the space to explore her identity.
