Our Mission
To teach and encourage all individuals to become resilient, capable people.
Our Core Values
- Safe and comfortable therapeutic environments
- Strength-based approaches
- Individualized treatment plans with measurable goals and strategies
- Evidence-based treatment and assessment
- Collaborative treatment planning with multidisciplinary teams
- Development of skills that promote resilience
- Incorporating technological advancements in treatment and support services
Our History
NOVA began over 30 years ago when Dr. John E. Ford recognized the lack of community based services for individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illness. He was providing consultative psychological services at a state facility and found that many individuals were forced to reside in institutions merely because community programs were not available. Dr. Ford set out to make that change, and NOVA was born.
NOVA’s ICF-IID program opened with the mission to get individuals with intellectual disability out of institutional settings and into the community. Although NOVA was repeatedly told that these individuals could never live successfully in the community, NOVA and the individuals pushed forward. Now, this program has successfully operated for over 30 years, and many of the original individuals still make their homes at NOVA.
Since its founding, NOVA has expanded and upgraded services. In addition to ICF-IID services, NOVA offers PRTF and outpatient pediatric services. PRTF services began in 2008 and has served over 1,500 children and adolescents. The program has been nationally accredited since 2008 and has been Joint Commission accredited since 2017. Pediatric outpatient psychological services began in 2019 under the name Tidal Integrated Health. The service was originally established to increase early access to behavioral health services for young people and their families by providing behavioral health treatment in pediatricians’ offices. Psychological testing and skills building therapies were added in 2021 to meet additional behavioral health service needs in the area. No matter the challenges, NOVA has persevered and adapted. Resiliency is the fabric of NOVA and is our mission.