Women To Watch Awards 2026 honors Helen V. Hicks

Helen V. Hicks, MA, MBA, LPC, is a seasoned behavioral health professional with three decades of progressive leadership and clinical experience across multiple levels of care.

Beginning her career in 1995 as line staff in a group home, she developed a deep commitment to residential treatment and advanced through roles including house therapist and program director. Driven by intellectual curiosity and a commitment to comprehensive care, she expanded her expertise to include in-community family work, outpatient fee-for-service treatment, and emergency room crisis intervention.

She later founded and successfully operated a private outpatient mental health practice for 15 years, demonstrating both clinical excellence and entrepreneurial leadership. Helen’s years of service to children and families led to her authoring her parenting book, “The Parenting Treatment Plan,” an online course and parenting app entitled, “SMART Goals Parenting.” Currently, serving as Clinical Director within a Permanent Supportive Housing program, Helen brings a systems-level perspective to integrated behavioral health services. Her professional journey is deeply informed by her personal resilience—raising five sons while navigating significant life transitions, including marriages, divorces, the loss of her parents, and the tragic suicide of her brother—fueling her compassionate, grounded, and transformative approach to care.