In rural communities, such as Apache County, barriers like distance, cost, and limited access to services can turn a hard day into a full crisis. When the nearest support is hours away, and transportation is not guaranteed, getting help can feel impossible.
CareAZ works to close those gaps with a community-based approach that is inclusive and available 24/7 through an after-hours line and peer support.
Since 2023, through $88,000 in community reinvestment funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Health Choice, AZ Blue’s Medicaid plan, we have helped CareAZ provide the kind of practical support that changes what is possible for people in the moments that matter most.
That includes transportation to detox and treatment programs, medical and behavioral health appointments, jail-to-resource center, re-entry and transition support, housing assistance, and transportation to the Holbrook bus station, which is often the only way out of the area to reach family or other support systems. It also includes basic resources and assistance that help someone take the next right step, even when life feels unstable.
CareAZ serves all of Apache County, a mix of tribal and non-tribal communities with a majority Navajo population.
Through AZ Blue Health Choice funding, CareAZ has provided:
- 384 rides
- 2,520 nights of shelter provided
- 122 individuals served
Alyssa’s Story
In August 2025, Alyssa was preparing for release from the Arizona Department of Corrections. She was pregnant and she did not have stable housing. She needed a safe place to land, quickly, and she needed people around she could rely on during one of her most vulnerable moments of her life.
This is where partnerships, and the funding behind them, matter.
Because CareAZ had the capacity to provide transitional housing and peer support, their team coordinated and arranged a place for Alyssa at CareAZ Women’s Refuge Home in St. Johns. It wasn’t just housing. It was stability. It was a door that opened at the exact moment she needed it.
“THE REFUGE HOME HAS MADE ME FEEL VERY SUPPORTED AND TOOK A LOT OF THE WEIGHT OFF MY SHOULDERS. KNOWING I HAVE A ROOF OVER MY HEAD AND THE PEOPLE THAT COME AND CHECK ON ME AND LET ME KNOW I’M NOT ALONE AND THAT THEY ARE THERE FOR ME MAKES ME WANT TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD AND DO THE RIGHT THINGS.” -ALYSSA M.
