SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Canyon Vista Medical Center is helping fill the gap for those who need intensive therapy for mental health diagnoses in Cochise County, where the National Alliance on Mental Health says 1 in 5 adults has a mental health condition.
The Sierra Vista hospital launched its new Intensive Outpatient Program for adults earlier this month, expanding access to behavioral health services for adults in Cochise County and the surrounding region.
The program provides structured, evidence-based outpatient treatment designed for individuals who need more support than traditional counseling, or who are transitioning from a higher level of care. It treats a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as substance use issues that occur alongside mental health conditions.
Scott Avery, Chief Executive Officer of Canyon Vista Medical Center, said access to care is critical for the community.
"Access to timely, appropriate behavioral health care is critical for the health of our community. This program allows us to meet patients where they are in their recovery and provide the tools and support needed for long-term wellness," Avery said in a statement.
Maria Greer, director of behavioral health at Canyon Vista Medical Center, said the need for expanded services is clear.
"Mental health impacts our individuals, our workforce, our families, our whole community," Greer said.
The program is led by licensed behavioral health professionals and includes comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and treatment, evidence-based group therapy and education, crisis prevention and symptom management tools, activity therapy and recovery-focused programming, and discharge and aftercare planning to support continuity of care.
The intensive outpatient program provides nine hours of group therapy per week and brings patients together to work through mental health challenges in a group setting.
"It brings people together in general, but also helps normalize some of our problems that can be dealt with by using communication," Greer said.
Greer said talking with others helps show a person they are not alone, since isolation is a natural reaction for many mental health conditions.
"Most of the time our brain tells us negative things, so we have to be intentional, especially when we're in a bad space in life. We have to be intentional about bringing the positive thoughts forward," Greer said.
Services are delivered in a flexible outpatient setting, allowing patients to maintain their daily responsibilities while receiving structured care.
The program also features specialized "Help for Heroes" programming tailored to meet the needs of active-duty military personnel, veterans, first responders, and other frontline professionals — groups that often face elevated exposure to trauma-related stress.
Hospital staff identified the gap in care when discharging patients from the inpatient behavioral health unit. Previously, the only options for those patients were traveling to Tucson or using telehealth appointments.
"We know that not one agency is able to tackle the need of mental health services yet, so we want to be part of the solution," Greer said.
Groups will meet for four to six weeks, with the goal of reducing therapy visits to once a week — a level of care more commonly available in Cochise County.
"We're here to support our community in any way possible, if it's just by answering questions, education, breaking the stigma of behavior, health, all of the above," Greer said.
For more information, call 520-263-3031.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
