In a groundbreaking effort to bring critical mental health care directly to Native Veterans and Families, Home Base clinicians and support staff traveled to the San Carlos Apache Nation in in February 2025 to deliver a mobile version of our Native Intensive Clinical Programming directly to tribal Veterans and Families from the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other tribal communities in the South West United States.

This partnership between San Carlos Apache Nation, San Carlos Healthcare Corporation (SCAHC) and Home Base marks a major step in our commitment to reaching underserved communities, ensuring that Native Veterans, who often face significant barriers to care, receive the support they need where they need it most. Throughout this initiative, we worked in close partnership with SCAHC and the San Carlos Apache Tribe, whose collaboration was instrumental in delivering culturally informed and impactful care.

“This program is more than just bringing care closer to home—it’s about honoring the unique experiences of Native Veterans and ensuring they feel seen, heard, and valued,” said Air Force Veteran Marcus Denetdale (Diné), Regional Associate Director, Southwest & Tribal Relations at Home Base. “We are not just addressing mental health, we are reinforcing cultural identity and ensuring Native Veterans can get care closer to home.”

During this weeklong program, a dedicated team of 15 clinicians and support staff from Home Base provided care to eight Native Veterans and three family members, delivering proven clinical treatments while providing space for traditional healing practices. Participants from the San Carlos Apache, White Mountain Apache, Navajo, and Sac & Fox of Oklahoma tribes received care tailored to their unique military experiences.

“The honor and gratitude we felt in being on tribal land, welcomed by the clinic team and patients, cannot be overstated,” said A. Clare Stupinski, LICSW, ICP Social Work Team Lead for Home Base. “We witnessed incredible moments of growth and healing as Veterans formed a supportive community alongside our mobile team.”

Native Americans serve in the U.S. Armed Forces at higher rates than any other ethnic group. Yet, the unique needs of Native American Veterans, Service Members and their Families facing challenges with geography, infrastructure and access to specialty care make it exponentially more difficult for those impacted by the invisible wounds. Additionally, Native Veterans often lack access to specialized military trauma-informed mental health services. Nearly 70% of VA-eligible Veterans seek care outside the VA, yet many rural communities lack the resources to meet their needs. The COVID-19 pandemic only deepened these disparities, making programs like the Mobile Native ICP more vital than ever.

“We are deeply honored to serve this incredible group of Veterans and their Families,” said Laura Harward, Director of the Intensive Clinical Program at Home Base. “This program is not just about providing treatment; it’s about ensuring that every Veteran has access to the healing they have earned and deserve. We recognize the immense trust the Native community and these patients needed to place in us to make this program successful and are humbled by the program’s success.”

After successful pilot programs in Boston in 2023 and 2024, the San Carlos Apache Tribal Council unanimously supported our partnership. With this momentum, Home Base launched a mobilized ICP to bring mental health care directly to Native Veterans in their communities, ensuring long-term impact and sustainability and decreasing barriers to treatment.

At the conclusion of this ICP, all participants indicated via a participant survey that they felt satisfied with the clinical care at Home Base, they have confidence and trust in the clinicians they met with, and that Home Base helped them overcome barriers or obstacles to seek the care they needed.

A Veteran Native participant said, “The caring providers and whole staff and cultural awareness were the best part.”

As funding grows, Home Base will expand this model to serve even more Veterans and Families, reinforcing our commitment to accessible, culturally competent care. By combining clinical excellence with cultural understanding, we are transforming mental health support for those who need it most.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our partners at the San Carlos Apache Healthcare Corporation and the San Carlos Apache Tribe for their collaboration and commitment as well as Nancy and Rick Kelleher and the PenFed Foundation. Their support has been invaluable in making this initiative possible.