Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Arizona’s Transition Age Youth program receives ‘Center of Excellence’ designation

PHOENIX – July 6, 2023 – Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Arizona is thrilled to announce that its Transition Age Youth (TAY) outpatient program in Maricopa received a “Center of Excellence” designation from Arizona Complete Health.

“Centers of Excellence” are providers that have shown the ability to deliver exceptional services, focusing on: 1) quality of care, 2) health of individuals and 3) coordination of services.

“We are honored to receive this designation - it is a significant achievement,” said Devereux Arizona Executive Director Yvette Jackson, LMSW, DBH. “Our TAY program is designed to help adolescents and young adults, ages 14 to 20, transition into adulthood. We want to support these individuals in attaining greater independence, integrating into the community and enhancing their overall quality of life.”

Building skills; empowering youth

Devereux Arizona’s TAY program places an emphasis on community engagement, increasing independent living skills and empowering adolescents and young adults by improving outcomes in employment, education, community-life functioning and personal effectiveness.

As part of the TAY program, Devereux Arizona offers Helping Youth Participate and Excel (HYPE), a collaborative program with Phoenix Zoo that provides volunteer opportunities for youth to achieve treatment goals related to life and social skills, employment, time management, education, healthy relationships, financial literacy and more.

“Through our TAY program, the adolescents and young adults we serve learn how to fill out job applications and conduct themselves during interviews, as well as how to secure and maintain meaningful employment in the community,” explained Devereux Arizona Clinical Director Janelle Westfall, LPC, BCBA, LBA. “Our youth are building skills for success, and we are committed to supporting them on their journey.”

About Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations, providing services, insight and leadership in the evolving field of behavioral healthcare. Founded in 1912, Devereux operates a comprehensive national network of clinical, therapeutic, educational and employment programs that positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of children, adults – and their families – every year. The organization’s unique approach combines evidence-based interventions with compassionate family engagement.

With nearly 6,500 employees working in programs across the country, Devereux is a trusted partner for families, schools and communities, serving many of our country’s most vulnerable populations in the areas of autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, specialty mental health, education and foster care. For more than a century, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health has been guided by a simple and enduring mission: To change lives by unlocking and nurturing human potential for people living with emotional, behavioral and cognitive differences. www.devereux.org.

About Devereux Arizona

Devereux Arizona began providing services in 1967 with the opening of a therapeutic day school in Scottsdale. Today, more than 50 years later, the Arizona center helps more than 4,500 individuals and their families across the state. www.devereuxaz.org.

Latest News

		Devereux article on how to build your own multidisciplinary team featured in Autism Spectrum News Read this Autism Spectrum News article written by Devereux National Director of Family Engagement Amy Kelly, MBA, MNM, as she outlines how parents can build a team of subspecialists. In the article – “Pulling it all together: How to create a multidisciplinary team for your child with autism” – Kelly also offers advice on how to “connect” team players to ensure your child receives the care and support they need to flourish.
		Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health gives employees access to lifetime income, a pathway to a more secure retirement One year after Devereux adopted TIAA RetirePlus® – TIAA's innovative custom default retirement solution that provides access to guaranteed lifetime income within a familiar target-date structure – confidence remains high in the strategy that offers participants some guaranteed growth while working and the opportunity for money flow long after they have left the workforce.
		Celebrating Devereux's Healthcare Heroes: Spotlight on Florida Program Director Kimberly Barfield At Devereux, our employees are at the heart of everything we do – and are key to our success. Learn how Devereux Florida Program Director Kimberly Barfield is serving and inspiring others every day.
		Faces of ASCEND: Meet Glenholme School Assistant Teacher Martha Alvarez Thanks to ASCEND, Devereux Connecticut – The Glenholme School Assistant Teacher Martha Alvarez recently went back to school to earn her bachelor's degree.