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History
PSA Behavioral Health Agency was originally incorporated in 1971 as “Presbyterian Service Agency”, and had a mission to provide support services and outreach to the elderly, and to the boarding home residents of south Phoenix. Programs included a congregate meal site and drop in center, socialization and recreation programs, and independent living skills training groups provided in various supervisory care homes.

In 1981 the agency began receiving Arizona Department of Health Services funds to provide 24-hour residential treatment services to adults with chronic mental illnesses in the central Phoenix area. Additional programs included case management, socialization and recreation services, and partial care.

In 1983 the agency redesigned its residential treatment program from a 24-hour program model to a semi-supervised treatment model, provided in scattered site apartments in the central Phoenix area. The agency also expanded its focus slightly by establishing a family support group. In 1984 PSA further expanded its residential services into the north central Phoenix area, established a second case management and partial care site, and began providing outpatient counseling services for chronically mentally ill adults.

A 1987 expansion established a fourth program site in Tempe, offering semi-supervised residential treatment, partial care services, and chemical dependence treatment. In 1989 the agency consolidated its Phoenix behavioral health programs into one site and expanded services to include vocational assessment and counseling and chemical dependence assessment and treatment. In 1991 the agency added a supported employment program, and in 1992 received a Rehabilitation Services Administration contract for vocational rehabilitation services.

During the early 1990s, drastic changes took place within the state funded behavioral health system. PSA was obliged to release its seriously mentally ill case management responsibilities and staff to a newly established centralized case management system. The vocational program was discontinued in 1994 also as a result of some of these changes. PSA rededicated itself to the community treatment of adults with serious mental illness and took the lead in offering specialized counseling services to address the needs of those with co-occurring disorders. PSA has gone on to become an industry leader in implementing best practices for persons with dual diagnosis, while creating a Dual Diagnosed Enhanced (DDE) program.

Between 1995 and early 2005, the agency instituted the Prevention program, which provided community mobilization and education by building community partnerships and enhancing student-parent-teacher communication. These positive relationships and the teaching of critical life skills contributed to the prevention of future need for behavioral health intervention, and was designed for grades K through 6.

From 1998 to 2001, PSA was the administrative entity for the Northern Maricopa Partnership (NMP), which was prevention of tobacco use for children, teens, and adults.

In 2001, the agency received monies from Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) for a consumer-run business of choice. The chosen business is what is now known as Art Awakenings. As Art Awakenings matured, it became a program with a mission of seeking to foster recovery and empowerment through creative expression for adults living with serious psychiatric illness. Participants began gaining personal awareness and professional skills for creating artwork for exhibit and sale. Following is an outline of Art Awakenings’ progression:

• 2002: ValueOptions becomes the primary source of funding, contracts services for Supervisory Care homes and the opening of new downtown Phoenix studio.<\LI>
• 2003: Art Awakenings studio added to the PSA Tempe office.
• 2003: Pinal Gila Behavioral Health Authority (PGBHA) provides funding for studio-based services in Casa Grande.
• Between 2003 and 2005: VO funds the Vocational Employment Program, which helped consumers establish working skills and experience using their art.
• 2004: Opened the Glendale and Casa Grande Art Awakenings studios.
• 2004: Cenpatico becomes new Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA).
• 2005: Casa Grande studio begins seeing clients from the Gila River Indian Community.

In 2002, the Morten Project began. The project is collaboration between ValueOptions, Maricopa County Adult Probation and PSA. PSA provides the housing and clinical co-occurring treatments for ValueOptions consumers who are on probation.

That same year, PSA opened two community living houses, grew to open four more in 2004, and has commenced with services in two more since then. Each house accommodates at least four ValueOptions consumers, and the agency makes behavioral health services available to them up to twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Services range from teaching basic living skills to individual counseling. The goal is to assist the consumers in becoming active within their communities.

From 2003 to 2006, PSA refreshed its family support services for the families and loved ones of consumers who experience co-occurring disorders (Serious Mental Illness and a substance abuse condition). The program consisted of six seminars featuring education, discussion, support and sharing experiences. This led to the creation of the family support program “FRESHOPE” (Family, Relationships, Education, Support, Hope, and Outreach for PEople who care) in 2004, that provides knowledge, skills, and support to the families and loved ones of people who suffer from mental illness. Currently, PSA provides family support when needed.

PSA purchased its first apartment complex in order to provide low-income housing, and works in conjunction with the City of Phoenix to accomplish this goal. In 2004, this complex along with the Morten Project, mentioned above, later became the starting point to create a Housing Program, and the agency purchased three more complexes with ValueOptions and the State. The populations of these additional properties are ValueOptions consumers.

Currently, PSA is one of the largest providers of supervised independent living services for the seriously mentally ill in the State of Arizona and has become known as a treatment program for co-occurring disorders, and Art Awakenings has become world-renowned.