Open Skies Healthcare announces Respite Program; Temporary childcare services

CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Open Skies Healthcare officially kicked off their respite care program on May 20 with an Open House.

The event featured balloons, cupcakes along with refreshments and offered community members an opportunity to become acquainted with an organization that has been servicing Cibola County residents for about seven years.

Open Skies Healthcare, 423 W. Santa Fe Ave. in Grants, is a mental health clinic that offers a wide variety of behavioral health services ranging from family living, independent living, parent/child relationships, family, and peer relationships, managing behaviors, making life choices, substance abuse, anger management, depression and anxiety, education, employment/vocation, housing, juvenile justice involvement, mental health, and physical health.

The Open House was the official start their respite care program, which essentially provides temporary care for children. This gives caregivers a break and allows youngsters to be in an environment in which they can continue to develop, grow, and have their needs met.

“While the child is with us, we work with them on basic skill building. If they’re struggling with social skills, or regulation skills, life skills, those are all things that we can work on with them while the caregiver is able to take that break,” said Respite Program Director Evangeline Gonzales, from the Open Skies in Albuquerque.

The summer respite program starts June 1, and the current schedule is from 3-7 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, as well as every other Saturday at the same times. The summer program will have a rainforest theme so that it can incorporate fun activities for youngsters along with the skill building, according to Gonzales.

She commented that Open Skies Healthcare is Medicaid based, and currently there is no waitlist for children. The age range begins with children who are potty trained (ages three or four) and goes to age 17. Caregivers wishing to enroll can call Open Skies,505- 285-3672 or 505-342-847.

The process is relatively simple after that with employees collecting some simple information, enrolling clients onto the online medical system, and setting up an assessment in which the clients will then be put on referral for the recommended programs.

“So, I think it’s super important, especially now with the pandemic going on, with kids being stuck at home and just having, you know to be home during the whole school season, it’s been tough on families. So, this would be a way for the kids to get out into the community, to have that social interaction with peers and other staff members, as well as addressing, you know, those skills that they may need support with…. I’m from Albuquerque so I know there’s not many resources out in Grants or from what I know, so just being an overall resource to the families I think is going to be super beneficial,” explained Gonzales.