About YHC
Change – Hope – Future
Yideeską́ądi Hózhǫ́ǫ́jí Center (YHC) is a Navajo Nation-owned residential substance use treatment facility in Phoenix dedicated to serving members of the Navajo Nation with culturally appropriate and effective residential care.
YHC is operated in partnership with the Navajo Department of Health (NDOH), Navajo Division of Behavioral and Mental Health Services (DBMHS), and Phoenix-based Axiom Care.
Navajo Healing Navajo
Developed with “Navajo Healing Navajo” as its foundation, YHC was established as a partnership between the Navajo Department of Health and Axiom Care to ensure access to effective, culturally relevant care for members of The Navajo Nation, addressing intergenerational trauma through a trauma-informed care model.
Compassionate, Dedicated Staff
YHC is staffed with Indigenous professionals from Axiom Care working in close partnership with the Navajo Department of Health (NDOH) and Division of Behavioral and Mental Health Services (DBMHS).
This collaborative treatment model provides holistic healing and family support through evidence-based treatment models, including SAMHSA best practices in compliance with Joint Commission structure and Diné cultural traditions.
Andrea Klimas, MS, LIAC
(Mexican/Oglala Lakota)
Executive Director
Heather Johnson
(Diné)
Operations Manager
Leslie Perez-Whitehead, MSW, LCSW, CCTP
Clinical Director
Members of the YHC Staff
Cultural Healing Practices
At Yideeską́ądi Hózhǫ́ǫ́jí Center (YHC), cultural healing practices are central to the treatment experience, honoring the deep traditions of the Diné people.
YHC partners with DBMHS to blend urban services with Navajo traditional knowledge. Together, we bring cultural knowledge to ensure every client receives holistic, Diné-centered care.
Other Services
YHC is committed to supporting the whole person by extending services that recognize the vital role of family and community in the healing journey.
To reduce barriers to care, YHC offers transportation shuttles for Navajo Nation members, their established family and dependent children, ensuring safe and reliable access to treatment. On-site childcare is available to support parents as they engage in recovery, while family therapy sessions help strengthen bonds, improve communication, and foster healing within the family unit.
These extended services reflect YHC’s holistic approach, rooted in the understanding that recovery is most successful when it includes and uplifts loved ones every step of the way.