Program Overview | Southern Arizona | Yavapai County, Arizona | New Mexico
Crisis and Respite Services in the Pima Project
The Pima Project provides safe and home-like crisis stabilization and respite care for young children separated from their families due to an abusive situation, an emergency or because the family is in need of respite support or for children who are in the process of being permanently removed from their families. The Pima Project houses children ages 6 to 17 on a short-term basis, up to 10 days per visit, referred by Child Protective Services, the Southern Arizona Mental Health Center (SAMHC) and other behavioral health providers. The length of respite visits vary but typically are scheduled when a child’s family needs assistance during times of family crisis or included regularly to give a child’s family a break to prevent a crisis situation with the child.
The program staff members that are responsible for the youth placed in the Pima Project make every effort to ensure the continuity of school placement and schedules, availability of therapy services, and other personal appointments during the period of time each child is referred to Intermountain.
The goals of the Pima Project are to:
- De-escalate a crisis situation involving a child and/or child’s caregiver/guardian;
- Stabilize the functioning of each child in crisis or respite;
- Assess the strengths and needs of each child;
- Provide current behavioral data regarding the behavior of each child;
- Provide behavioral intervention to assist each child in positive functioning; and
- Assist Child Family Teams in identifying strategies to meet a child’s goals.
Contact and Referral Information
Mike Stoutimore, PhD
Intermountain Centers for Human Development
P.O. Box 17749
Tucson, AZ 85731-7749
Tel: (520) 721-1887
Fax: (520) 721-0069
Email: mikes@ichd.net
Success Stories
J. V. is a 10 year boy who lives with a 65 year old adoptive mother. Intermountain’s Pima Project provides his mother monthly respite as part of his service plan. The monthly respite allows both to have a planned break. His crisis episodes have decreased at home to zero. J. V. has established a positive relationship with the respite staff at Intermountain.
Alicia volunteers as a Big Sister through the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program in Tucson. Last summer her Little Sister, Ava, was removed from her mother on several occasions over a two month period, all of which resulted in Ava being placed in the Pima Project. Although she was a high profile child at home, she never exhibited any problem behaviors when she was residing with Intermountain. When Ava’s mother’s issues were resolved, she returned to live with her permanently. Alicia was so impressed with the Pima Project when she visited Ava that she and her family have volunteered to provide many support activities and treats for Pima House during the past year. They even visited during the week of Christmas and brought decorated cookies and holiday decorations for the children residing in the Pima House.