News
Agency takes strides to fix problems, school officials pleased
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
Despite continued dissension among board members of Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS), acting CEO Jim Rubio said Thursday night the company is making strides to correct deficiencies.
A major area of concern being addressed is communicating with and working with school districts in the four counties where SEABHS provides a variety of mental health services.
Services are provided to adults and youths in Cochise, Graham, Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties.
In December, Larry Curry of the Benson School District and Rob Jones, president of the Special Education Ad-ministrators of Southeastern Arizona (SEASA), addressed the SEABHS board, stating that for several years they had been struggling to get assistance for students who are in need of medical attention.
Jones, the special services director for the Willcox School District, said disruptive special education students sometimes need medical attention, and after the school exhausts efforts, an agency such as SEABHS must intervene.
Rubio agreed to look into the matter in December, and promised that SEABHS would fix the problems.
During Thursday's board meeting in Benson, Jones had good news.
"I have been happy with what has transpired since December," Jones said. "We have gone over the issues with frankness, and are making progress. Mr. Rubio is trying to make SEABHS a continuation of the good services that were provided in the past."
Jones said he is optimistic, as SEABHS has promised monthly meetings to discuss issues regarding special needs students.
The board was also informed that over the years SEABHS employees have worked to submit grant applications to various agencies that bring school districts more money for special education programs.
In December, Curry and Jones estimated that a lack of communication with SEABHS had been a growing problem for years, and continuous efforts to fix the problems had stalled.
Rubio, who is acting as the company's leader after former CEO Dana Johnson was fired, said SEABHS has a new philosophy and will be working to provide the services required, and be more open with the community about all the good programs the non-profit agency provides.
Despite continued dissension among board members of Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS), acting CEO Jim Rubio said Thursday night the company is making strides to correct deficiencies.
A major area of concern being addressed is communicating with and working with school districts in the four counties where SEABHS provides a variety of mental health services.
Services are provided to adults and youths in Cochise, Graham, Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties.
In December, Larry Curry of the Benson School District and Rob Jones, president of the Special Education Ad-ministrators of Southeastern Arizona (SEASA), addressed the SEABHS board, stating that for several years they had been struggling to get assistance for students who are in need of medical attention.
Jones, the special services director for the Willcox School District, said disruptive special education students sometimes need medical attention, and after the school exhausts efforts, an agency such as SEABHS must intervene.
Rubio agreed to look into the matter in December, and promised that SEABHS would fix the problems.
During Thursday's board meeting in Benson, Jones had good news.
"I have been happy with what has transpired since December," Jones said. "We have gone over the issues with frankness, and are making progress. Mr. Rubio is trying to make SEABHS a continuation of the good services that were provided in the past."
Jones said he is optimistic, as SEABHS has promised monthly meetings to discuss issues regarding special needs students.
The board was also informed that over the years SEABHS employees have worked to submit grant applications to various agencies that bring school districts more money for special education programs.
In December, Curry and Jones estimated that a lack of communication with SEABHS had been a growing problem for years, and continuous efforts to fix the problems had stalled.
Rubio, who is acting as the company's leader after former CEO Dana Johnson was fired, said SEABHS has a new philosophy and will be working to provide the services required, and be more open with the community about all the good programs the non-profit agency provides.
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