Camber Mental Health Announces Expanded Leadership Team
Camber Mental Health, a nonprofit subsidiary of KVC Health Systems and the region’s leading provider of inpatient and residential children’s mental health treatment, is announcing an expanded executive team to lead its next phase of growth and positive impact.
Camber Mental Health specializes in operating children’s mental health hospitals with three treatment centers in Kansas. Families statewide can access life-saving treatment close to home at Camber’s hospitals in Kansas City, Wichita and Hays.
In addition, Camber has partnered with Children’s Mercy Kansas City to build a new mental health hospital that will open later this year, serving both youth and adults in separate units. Camber’s parent organization, KVC Health Systems, also recently partnered with St. Louis Children’s Hospital to explore creating a children’s mental wellness campus in the St. Louis region. Through these partnerships, Camber anticipates more than doubling its patient impact in the coming years.
“As Camber continues its journey to expand access to care, I’m thrilled to announce the expansion of our leadership team to ensure consistency and quality in services,” said Jason Hooper, President and CEO of KVC Health Systems. “We operate hospitals in a unique way, saying yes to every child no matter the complexity of their behavioral and psychiatric needs, and working toward their long-term wellbeing. Kim, Bobby and Sara represent the very best of Camber’s values, expertise, and mission impact.”
The following changes take effect on July 1, 2024:
Kimberly O’Connor-Soule, LSCSW, has been named Senior Inpatient Officer for the entire Camber Mental Health network. In this role, she will oversee all leaders and roles including those that support every Camber location like admissions, clinical services and operations, as well as roles that are site-specific and accountable to joint venture boards. O’Connor-Soule has been with KVC for more than 12 years, currently serving as Executive Vice President of Inpatient Services. O’Connor-Soule’s deep expertise, business acumen, and exceptional relationship-building skills have helped Camber form groundbreaking partnerships that will not only benefit tens of thousands of children and families, but also advance mental health parity on a national stage. Read more about O’Connor-Soule’s experience and education here.
Robert “Bobby” Eklofe, MHSA, has been named Executive Vice President of Inpatient Operations. Eklofe has invested an incredible 34 years into KVC’s mission, making game-changing contributions such as opening Camber Wichita and the new Camber Hays. He is a servant-leader who constantly reminds colleagues and partners to stay connected to our “why” for helping children and adults in crisis access help and achieve mental wellness. This new role will enable Eklofe to leverage his expertise across more locations and continue future business development. Read more about Eklofe’s experience and education here.
Sara Schlagel, LSCSW, LCSW, has been named Senior Vice President of the new Children’s Mercy Camber Olathe location. Schlagel has been with KVC for over 13 years, currently serving as Vice President of Administration for Camber. For more than a decade, Sara’s steadfast commitment to enhancing Camber’s culture, programming, employee training, safety, quality assurance and compliance have helped make it the Midwest regional leader in children’s inpatient psychiatric treatment. Read more about Schlagel’s experience and education here.
In addition to these promotions, Camber is hiring an Executive Vice President of Inpatient Services supporting all locations and Senior Vice President of Camber Kansas City, Wichita and Hays. Learn more about Camber Mental Health here.