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Colorado River Behavioral Health System LLC. (CRBHS) is a Peer Run program that assists communities in developing their own culturally specific Peer Run behavioral health programs through the development of Transitional Living Center Recovery and Turtle Bay Cafe's. CRBHS  utilizes the implementation of Culturally Integrated Wellness and administrative support to assit each communities development and provides Organically Driven Evaluation tools and support to assist each community with it's unique development.

Transitional Living Centers Recovery (TLCR) & Turtle Bay Cafe's (TBC) are designed to support persons in their recoveries from psychiatric disorders, including clients who have been determined to have a serious mental illness and an addictive disorder. Each service setting is grounded in a peer-based community of persons in recovery where clients participate in services that emphasize the provision of one on one support while they engage in experiential learning opportunities. Clients interact with their peers in a culturally engaged environment that fosters natural supports, the development of a social network of persons supportive of their recovery and their treatment goals, and integration into the community in which they live. CRBHS presently works with Transitional Living Center Recovery and Turtle Bay Cafes throughout the State of Arizona in 2 different counties and in over a dozen service locations.

Jail Re-Entry and Recidivism Reduction CRBHS , through it's Transitional Living Centers, has been a leader in Jail re-entry services since 2004. These years of experience reducing recidivism in the communities it serves has been done in partnership with the Courts, Probation departments and Jails.

Outcomes of Services. Recent data collection from participating clients at all Transitional Living Centers and Cafes show the following outcomes 6 months after intake.

  • 88% reduction in Homelessness
  • 90% report no use of drugs or alcohol in past 30days
  • Only 30% unemployed after 6 months. Down from 75% unemployed at intake.
  • Statistically significant increase in social and community connectedness.
  • 93% of participants have not committed a criminal offense

Provider Network Integration  All TLCR's and TBC's work in partnership and in conjunction with Clinical Providers, existing Peer programs, Government agencies and community resources. TLCR and TBC involvement of clients increases attendance and engagement at their referring Clinical Agency and existing providers of services. TLCR and TBC are used by all agencies in each community to assist their referred clients in skills development through their unique experiential learning opportunities and the environment of Culturally integrated wellness it supports. 

All CRBHS's Culturally Integrated Wellness services work by establishing a recovery culture in it's Centers and Communities where all participants become a willing and motivated partner in their Centers, Their Communities and in the New life they are creating for themselves.

Partnerships, Collaborations and Affiliations

  • American Probation and Parole Association
  • Family Justice's "Tapping Families and Social Networks in Small Rural and indigenous communities"
  • SAMHSA District 9 Coalition
  • AZDBHS Peer and Family Coalition
  • Yuma County Mental Health Court
  • Pinal County Drug Court

CRBHS Published Articles in Peer Reviewed Journals

  • "A Practical Skills Model for Effectively Engaging Clients in Multi Cultural Settings" by Drs. Alberta and Wood, published in The Counseling Psycologist
  • "Addressing Challenges to Providing Peer-Based Recovery Support" by Dr. Alberta, R.Ploski and S.Carlson, published in "The Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research"