“Our vision has always been to restore lives and empower people to thrive beyond addiction,” said Vern Johnson, Founder of Axiom Care.
“We meet clients where they are and walk with them through every step of their recovery.”
From day one, Johnson and Mantey were driven by a mission to support the most vulnerable, particularly those facing addiction, incarceration, and homelessness. Their vision has expanded into full-service behavioral health and housing, offering every level of care from detox to outpatient treatment to long-term re-entry support. Axiom Care primarily serves financially at-risk and justice-involved individuals, providing a comprehensive pathway to recovery and long-term stability.
Axiom Care’s Growing Mission
“Vern and Duane saw a gap in how addiction and justice-involved populations were being served,” said John Wake, CEO of Axiom Care. “They believed in building something that could not only treat addiction but nurture the whole person.”
Wake’s connection to Axiom Care’s mission is personal. Fifteen years ago, he was battling opioid addiction and cycling in and out of jail. It wasn’t until he accepted help that he began to rebuild his life, a journey that eventually led him to Axiom Care.
Axiom Care continues to expand with a new integrated clinic at 3724 N. 3rd Street in midtown Phoenix opened this spring, as well as two new residential treatment centers, a new three-story 60-bed building on its current Ocotillo Campus in Apache Junction and a three-story 90-bed facility owned by the Navajo Nation and operated in partnership with the Navajo Department of Health, both opening in early fall.
Healing through Creativity: Axiom Community of Recovery Nonprofit
Axiom Care has stayed true to their mission of transformation, with a strong focus on second chances for those who’ve been incarcerated or justice system involved.
The organization doesn’t just offer clinical care it also helps people rediscover their purpose and rebuild their lives. Axiom Care’s nonprofit partner, Axiom Community of Recovery (ACR), offers programs that help with healing through creativity, meditation, self-care, and workforce development.
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Art Of Our Soul has become a powerful outlet for those navigating early recovery and reintegration.
ACR recently partnered with Art of Our Soul, a creative healing program founded by Emmy Award winning journalist and artist Brandon Lee. This Art Of Our Soul location is the first studio partnership with a re-entry program, using guided art therapy to help participants process trauma, access their emotions, and tell their stories.
The program gives people a voice. Through art, they can express pain, joy, growth in a space for healing and reconnecting with who they are beyond their past. Art Of Our Soul has become a powerful outlet for those navigating early recovery and reintegration. By blending creativity with therapy, it creates emotional breakthroughs and a lasting impact for an often overlooked population.
ACR plans to expand their services through yoga classes and workforce development. Yoga classes will be offered to individuals for meditation and self-care to help center them and focus on healing techniques. The workforce development program will include computer training, resume building, interview preparation and connections with prospective employers.
Axiom Care’s Services
Axiom Care’s growth reflects a deep commitment to treating the whole person, not just their clinical needs, but their emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. Services span the entire continuum of care, including inpatient and outpatient treatment, medication-assisted therapy, supportive housing, and aftercare programs. But at the heart of it all is a core belief: everyone deserves a second chance.
Axiom Care operates the following AZDHS licensed facilities:
A 24-bed residential substance use treatment center in Phoenix
A 24-bed inpatient detox facility and 24-chair observation unit in Apache Junction
A 110-bed housing and outpatient center in Phoenix, supporting the Residential Community Behavior Modification Program (RCBM) in partnership with the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR)
An ADCRR Set for Success program launched in 2022 to help behavioral health clients successfully reintegrate into the community
A new integrated clinic in Phoenix, opened in Spring 2025
A new 90-bed residential substance use treatment center owned by the Navajo Nation and operated in partnership with the Navajo Department of Health, opening in late summer 2025
A new 60-bed residential substance use treatment center in Apache Junction, opening in early fall 2025
“Our team is deeply committed to restoring dignity and offering hope,” said John Wake, CEO of Axiom Care. “As we expand our services and facilities, our focus remains on removing barriers and helping individuals reclaim their lives.”
With an expanding network and a growing reputation for innovation in recovery care, Axiom Care continues to build a future where every Arizonan has access to life-changing behavioral health services regardless of their past.
Axiom Care is accredited by the Joint Commission and licensed with all AHCCCS insurers. To learn more, visit https://www.axiomcareofaz.com
