Lauren Hentchel, MBA is the Senior Director of Admissions & Utilization Review at KVC Missouri, bringing over 20 years of experience in mental health across both inpatient (residential) and outpatient settings. In her current role, Lauren leads admissions and UR teams with a focus on creating a centralized, family-centered point of entry for services. She is passionate about improving the client experience through efficient, mission-driven processes and exceptional customer care.

Lauren’s career began in direct care at a youth emergency shelter, where she quickly rose to leadership roles, including supervisor and interim director. Since then, she has served in a wide range of positions, from Residential Director of a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) to admissions and utilization review leadership across PRTF, Intensive Outpatient (IOP), and outpatient programs. Her deep expertise includes credentialing, contracting, and systems improvement.

Known for her collaborative approach and relationship-building skills, Lauren has successfully partnered with agencies and stakeholders statewide to strengthen the mental health system. She holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology from Alma College. She is also a certified Safe Crisis Management (SCM) instructor with over 15 years of experience training staff in client safety and care.