Northern Arizona Nonprofit Awards Grant to Improve Well-Being in Mohave County

Health First Foundation Northern Arizona recently awarded $900,000 in grants and scholarships to improve health and well-being in the region, including $200,000 to Arizona’s Children Association (AzCA) to help establish child and family behavioral health services in Mohave County.

“In northern Arizona, adults have many more resources for behavioral and mental health than children,” said Sandra Kowalski, president and CEO of Health First Foundation. “We are excited to partner with AzCA to provide optimal health and well-being for the youth in our vibrant communities.”

The grant will help AzCA create more outpatient programs in Mohave County, allowing the organization to curate services to meet specific needs of children and families. Focusing on behavioral health, AzCA will assess children in their particular developmental stage.

“A basic risk assessment could be different for a child from birth to 5 years old or from 5 to 12,” said Marissa Quinn, clinical supervisor at AzCA’s Lake Havasu location. “There are different tools that we use to measure risks and behaviors for kids at different developmental stages. This grant will help us provide these assessments to a greater number of children in this area.”

AzCA works with entire family units, ensuring that each child is protected and the family strengthened. Its programs provide a safe space for parents and family members to focus on a child’s needs.

“We are very thankful for this generous grant from Health First Foundation,” said Jacob Schmitt, president and CEO of AzCA. “It will help us better serve our families in northern Arizona with resources that are currently lacking.”

In addition to the AzCA grant, the foundation awarded funding to eight nonprofits for programs demonstrating a positive and lasting impact on community health, including Manzanita Outreach, Flagstaff Shelter Services, Steps to Recovery Homes, Creek Valley Health Clinic, Jerry Ambrose Veterans Council, Northern Arizona University, Polara Health and NACASA at North Country HealthCare. Scholarships were awarded to college students studying in northern Arizona to become health professionals.

Health First Foundation accepts donations year-round. Visit healthfirstforall.org to donate and learn more. To learn more about AzCA, please visit ArizonasChildren.org.

About Arizona’s Children Association
For 100 years, Arizona’s Children Association (AzCA) has stayed true to “Protecting Children, Empowering Youth, Strengthening Families,” serving more than 40,000 children, individuals and families in all 15 counties each year. It is one of the oldest and largest statewide child welfare and behavioral health nonprofit agencies in Arizona. Learn more at http://www.ArizonasChildren.org.
About Health First Foundation
Health First Foundation Northern Arizona is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity dedicated to advancing health and well-being. Based in Flagstaff and Sedona, Arizona, the foundation serves the five-county region of northern Arizona. Visit healthfirstforall.org to learn more.