As Vice President of Residential Services for KVC Missouri, Cheryl oversees psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) for youth in Springfield and Columbia, as well as qualified residential treatment programs (QRTPs) in Kansas City and St. James. She leads with a trauma-informed, visionary approach, committed to service excellence and ensuring that children and families receive high-quality, evidence-based care tailored to their unique needs.

With more than 25 years of leadership experience in human services and 17 years of clinical expertise, Cheryl’s background spans children’s psychiatric care, school-based mental health, university teaching, community mental health, and residential services.

Cheryl is known for building strong teams, elevating clinical quality, and driving operational excellence. Most importantly, she leads with heart, and her commitment to creating safe, healing-centered environments for youth aligns deeply with our mission.

She brings extensive training in trauma-informed and evidence-based therapy models, is a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach, and has led large residential, school-based, and statewide clinical programs. Her leadership is shaped by her Gallup Clifton Strengths Top 5: Developer, Positivity, Arranger, Woo, and Futuristic—strengths that help her build high-performing teams, embrace innovation, and guide staff through system change with optimism and purpose.

Cheryl is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Missouri and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Kansas. She holds a master’s degree in counseling and certifications in Sexual Addiction Therapy, Play Therapy, and the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT). She has also completed training in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), EMDR, Motivational Interviewing (MI), the Strengthening Families Program (SFP), and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).

“I choose to work in this field because I believe in investing in our youth, their families, and the dedicated employees who support them. I strive every day to ensure that our clients feel seen, safe, and accepted, so they can begin to heal from trauma and build the skills they need to thrive.” – Cheryl Costabile