Kim Strunk Named 2022 Healthcare Hero by Indianapolis Business Journal

Hopebridge Recognized for Community Achievement in Health Care

Hopebridge Founder and Head of Clinical Strategy Kim Strunk has been awarded an IBJ 2022 Healthcare Hero award in the category of Community Achievement in Health Care. The Community Achievement in Health Care honors a company or organization that has successfully implemented a program that has addressed an acknowledged problem in health care administration or delivery.

Her nomination recognizes her work to improve the lives of children with autism, her commitment to advancing the clinical quality of autism therapy and her determination to serve a population who is traditionally underserved. “I’m truly honored to have received the IBJ 2022 Healthcare Hero nomination on behalf of Hopebridge. Hopebridge’s success and ability to make an impact on our communities over the last 17 years is truly a result of the passionate care exhibited by our team members,” says Kim. “I’m so proud to work alongside the best and brightest in the industry.”

In the early 2000s, while serving children in her community as an occupational therapist, Kim noticed characteristics that appeared to be associated with autism in several of her patients. She also saw parents running their kids from place to place to receive different forms of therapy. She knew there must be a better, more intensive way to provide these children with the care and learning tools they needed to succeed. Thus, Hopebridge was born.

“Working under her for the past eight years, I am continually awed by her tenacity and impact-driven mission to meet the immense need for autism therapy services,” says Hopebridge Chief Administration Officer Herb Senft.

Learn more about the History of Hopebridge

Kim is a problem solver with a servant’s heart. When she founded Hopebridge, she didn’t care that the organization didn’t fit the traditional framework of autism therapy, nor did she care that insurance companies didn’t recognize applied behavior analysis (ABA) at the time. Instead, she saw a need and met it by creating a complementary, multi-disciplinary approach rooted in evidence-based ABA. Now, thanks to the continued efforts of Kim and the autism community as a whole to increase the awareness and efficacy of ABA, insurance providers now cover ABA therapy.

Kim’s revolutionary 360 Care model was the first of its kind in Indiana, allowing children to receive multiple forms of treatment under one roof. This alleviated stress on families and multiplied results by creating unity in a child’s plan of care.

Kim’s dedication to clinical quality and passion for serving children undoubtedly qualify her as an Indianapolis health care hero. Each year, Hopebridge serves 23,600 children, preparing them to successfully enter school and take on life. Hopebridge also employs 4,336 people across the country (1,381 in Indiana).

More than 15 years after Hopebridge was founded, the autism community lives in a much more accessible place – because of Kim. What stemmed from a dream and one center in Indiana now spans 13 states and more than 100 locations (seven of which are in the Indianapolis area). Hopebridge currently stands as one of the largest autism therapy providers in the U.S.

Kim’s work continues to bring new hope to thousands of families each and every day and stands as a reminder to never give up on a dream.

Read Kim Strunk’s Feature in the Indianapolis Business Journal

2022 Health Care Heroes: Indiana-based autism therapy center serves thousands

Source: Indianapolis Business Journal, Sam Quinn

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