A mental health crisis can happen to anyone, but for children, the experience can have dire results, says Alyssa Ingle.

Supporting the mental health of children helps to establish and ensure their future as healthly adults in our community. “As a culture, we’ve lost a sense of self-efficacy for our children, so it’s important for mental health resources for our kids to help them get back to baseline and build resilience,” Ingle says.

Ingle is Chief Executive Officer at Perimeter Behavioral Hospital of Springfield, a 24/7 acute behavioral facility for children ages six to 17. Nearly 100 staff members ensure the safety of 32 children on a weekly basis, providing resources for children to help stabilize their mood and equip them with resources for a safe transition back home.

“Before a child leaves us, we have therapy set up in the community within seven days,” Ingle says. “I advocate for those resources and then work to ensure that they’re going to be provided.”

Ingle began her career at Perimeter as a therapist on the floor, but she knew she wanted to help build solutions in addition to providing services. After serving as director of business development, she took on the CEO role with a mission: to equip Perimeter staff with better training to respond to trauma more effectively, while advocating for more mental health resources for children in her community.

“Acute crisis stabilization services are an imperative piece of the continuum of care for those struggling with their mental health,” says Delaney Yocom, who submitted the nomination for Ingle. “The team at Perimeter creates opportunities for connection to tools that can guide their patients toward hope.”

As a leader, Ingle encourages her team to develop innovative programming that helps children have the time, space and support to recover from mental illness. From music therapy to holistic treatments, Ingle works alongside local health care providers to ensure children heal.

“When I do my job well, children receive the treatment to become successful leaders themselves,” she says. “When you see a child who was in our facility out working or they’re enrolled in college, even if they’re just still breathing, it keeps me going and doing this hard work.”