Green Valley Assistance Services, Inc dba Valley Assistance Services

Mission: Combining social services and community health, Valley Assistance Services guides all persons to live healthy, safe and independent lives.

Valley Assistance Services identifies, advocates, and supports the changing needs of older people, individuals, families and youth. The VAS staff serves over 7,000 people annually with these essential programs:

Going Home with Care: Care transitions from hospital to home in partnership with the local Green Valley/Santa Cruz hospital, a post-hospital discharge program with specific diagnoses to help ensure recovery and discharge follow through; our VAS RN provides home visits to assess each client's health for care needs, makes sure clients have needed medications and knowledge of medication use, to reduce readmissions.

A Touch That Cares ®: RN Medical Advocacy for seniors facing chronic illness including in-home health education and medical support; health advocacy between patients and physicians, pharmacists, and other care providers, and assistance to help clients improve their quality of life through coordination of a personalized care plan, medication education and management, exercise education and assessments, and family/caregiver education.

SHiM ®: (Safety and Health in Motion), a partnership with the Green Valley Fire District is an evidenced-based fall prevention program designed to identify medical fall risks, reduce fear of falling through an in-home assessment of fall risks: home, medication, lifestyle, and health. The program provides in home safety assessments followed by installation of needed safety equipment including night lights, reach sticks and smoke alarms.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Green Valley/Sahuarita and Santa Cruz County Neighbors Helping Neighbors Transportation program: Volunteer Transportation and socialization program. Trained volunteers provide transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, and other essential trips, as well as performing errands for homebound, isolated seniors. (in Pima County and in Santa Cru z County)

MAP (Map a Plan program): Monetary assistance for rent, utilities, to prevent evictions and homelessness, including required attendance in 6 hours of budgeting classes. Savings and benefits information and resources including on-line SNAP (food stamps) application assistance and Arizona Self-Help program are available to all clients.

Workforce Training/Career Path Building and Computer Lab: including resume writing, mock interviewing, and job search, appointment with workforce and work readiness coach

Neighbors AIM (Awareness in Memory Loss): ongoing support classes and peer-support groups support loved ones, family, friends, and neighbors of dementia sufferers, and those with early-stage dementia through creative events, simulation experiences, and education. This program, overseen by RN's and a counselor, creates a community/neighbors sense of caring for those with memory loss and their loved ones. Dementia and memory loss are challenging illnesses. These affect all of us in some way.

Diaper Bank - providing supplies from infant to older adult.

Socialization Programs:
connectwithU: volunteers provide over 1,400 friendly phone calls to senior citizens
SASS (Socialization and Support for Seniors): in person peer-group socialization
Caregivers Support group
Health classes to the public