Horizon Health and Wellness has is at 625 N. Plaza Drive in Apache Junction. (Independent Newsmedia/Arianna Grainey) Horizon Health and Wellness, which includes clinics in Apache Junction and Queen Creek, announced Wednesday, Nov. 21 the retirement of its CEO Norman E. Mudd, effective at the end of the year. A farewell dinner and tribute will be Monday, Dec. 3 to honor a man who dedicated 30 years of his life to develop an agency which went through various changes, names and mergers, a press release states. The board of directors of the then Behavioral Health Agency of Central Arizona appointed Mr. Mudd, at the time a therapist and coordinator, as Chief Executive Officer to try to save an organization in crisis. Mr. Mudd successfully brought the agency through bankruptcy and championed changing the name of the agency to Horizon Human Services. After many years of improvement, growth and establishing stability, the board of directors again brought to him the new challenge to assist Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center which was in crisis. The subsequent merger gave birth to a new and larger organization, Horizon Health and Wellness, which has received the Joint Commission’s certification as an integrated health facility. The certification demonstrates Horizon Health and Wellness’ focus on improving care coordination across the continuum of care and positively impacting patients moving between the hospital and outpatient care settings, according to a press release. With the development of the Yuma Health Center and the Florence Community Health Center, the agency has reached the goal of providing primary care and behavioral health emergency services in an integrated care setting. Horizon developed the first 23-hour evaluation and treatment unit in Yuma County and replicated that achievement in Pinal County. Under Mr. Mudd, Horizon Health and Wellness has successfully carried out the integration of patient care between hospitals and ambulatory health care providers and organizations in Central and Southern Arizona. These innovative programs provide a pathway for leaders to improve patient satisfaction and reduce preventable admissions and use of emergency services. Mr. Mudd’s retirement leaves the organization in a successful and strong position poised for continued growth, the company claims via a release.