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Shown are the local Open Skies Healthcare Clinical Directors, Amber Rockwell (left) and Ganiece Duhaime (right), who continue to dedicate their time and effort to assisting the community with healthy living. Kylie Garcia - CC
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. - Open Skies Healthcare is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the Cibola community for seven years. It is located on 423 West Santa Fe Avenue in Grants and provides behavioral health services and programs for a wide client base.
As stated on their website, www.openskieshealthcare.org, Open Skies is “dedicated to helping New Mexicans overcome obstacles so they can live fulfilling lives and reach their highest potential.”
A key aspect of the organization is that each location’s staff members live in the communities in which they serve. Some of those staff and community members in this area are Ganiece Duhaime and Amber Rockwell, both Clinical Directors for the local Open Skies Healthcare.
“They have a heart for the people because they are our neighbors,” said Duhaime about the rest of the staff.
Open Skies Healthcare-Grants is designed to assist a wide population, ranging from children to teen youth to adults from across this county. There are two programs in place specifically for youth, ages 3-18 – the first is a one-on-one Behavioral Management Service in which a provider can work with the child in school, at home, or even at a daycare center.
The second youth program is Respite Care, which essentially provides arranged temporary care for children. Open Skies can also work with young adults who need help adjusting to early adulthood, developing independent living skills, or need assistance with those things due to developmental obstacles. The situations in which Open Skies can help are truly endless, with the website citing services ranging from family living, independent living, parent/child relationships, family/peer relationships, managing behaviors, making life choices, substance abuse, anger management, dealing with depression and anxiety, education, employment/vocation, housing, juvenile justice involvement, mental health, and physical health.
Clinical Directors Duhaime and Rockwell emphasized that these are issues that everyone confronts and must face in life.
“I think what sets us apart and helps us be different and support the community is the things that our providers can do with people. They really look at the big picture. And I like that healthcare is in our name because we work in tandem with primary care physicians, medication management, with schools to help children get the right academic support. So, we’re really involved in the total person. And there may be other places out there that are really just looking at that one piece, whereas we’re able to wrap the client in that total approach to help them increase their functioning,” Duhaime added.
The local clinical directors strongly emphasized community outreach.
“We definitely get to work with the clients in their community,” explained Rockwell. “So it’s not about coming to the office; it’s about ‘let us meet you where you are’ and, you know, help get the resources, either from the community, connect you so you can stay connected even once we’re done, because, you know, you can always come back as things come up, but we want to make sure everybody is connected to their community and has natural supports that way.”
The agency’s goals are focused on supporting the community in whatever ways they can, continuing to provide and promote healthy living, and to always be easily available and accessible to whoever might need assistance. They also want to make sure the community is aware of the therapy services, both family and individual, support group programs, community support worker services, the foster care program, and many other resources that Open Skies offers.
According to Duhaime, who has been with the Grants’ agency for a little more than a year, and Rockwell, who has been with them for seven years, the official office hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Santa Fe Avenue site. However, the hours do vary due to both the in-office and community work that the providers do, along with telehealth and after-hour crisis line services.
“So really, [we] are able to support the community 24 hours a day,” said Duhaime.
Open Skies Healthcare primarily accepts Medicaid insurance, but can work with clients on a case-by-case basis.
Community members can learn more about the wide range of services Open Skies Healthcare has to offer by visiting their website, www.openskieshealthcare.o rg, which is scheduled for an update soon. Or they call 505-345-8471 to contact staff members and providers.