WHAT IS TOBOSA?

Overcoming Challenges,
Uncovering Potential

About Us

A 40-year-old nonprofit, Tobosa Developmental Services is Southeast New Mexico’s premier services to adults and children living with developmental delays and disabilities.

Along with Los Pasitos, our Childhood Development Services, and Little Steps Learning Center, we offer safe spaces for growth, and opportunities for development with individualized care and innovative programs for hundreds of developmentally-challenged individuals.

At Tobosa, we help individuals and families overcome developmental disabilities by discovering and using their gifts. To do that, we’ve equipped our staff with the most up-to-date training and support, consistent with the latest research and guidance.

Four of our programs offer care for different levels of need, from around the clock to occasional check-ins as needed. This stair-step structure ensures we can meet each individual’s ability where they are, and graduate them to a life of substantial independence. We also offer Respite Care for caregivers and Employment Services that give our clients fulfilling work and the means of earning a living.

Los Pasitos provides free Early Intervention services to children ages birth to three years, who have or are at risk for a developmental delay or disability, get the support they need. Partnering with families to nurture their child’s development through coaching and modeling in their natural environment, we let parents and caregivers shine while helping their child reach their full potential.

Little Steps Learning Center provides childcare and education for youngsters aged 1 to 12. A model inclusive program where children with diverse abilities play, learn and grow together, the Little Steps Learning Center is a center based learning environment with an intense focus on quality care and teamwork.

Tobosa is proud to be considered one of the highest quality centers for developmentally challenged individuals in southeastern New Mexico.

How Tobosa Began

Over 40 years ago, a statewide closure of New Mexico’s mental institutions released inmates into communities throughout the state. Unfortunately, most communities were ill-prepared to transition them successfully from institutionalized to independent living. Family advocates in Roswell recognized the problem and started Tobosa in 1978 to bridge the gap.

The efforts of these trailblazers delivered care and support from the Roswell community to disabled individuals, who had been tucked away behind walls in every corner of the state. Today, at Tobosa, we continue to light the way through the challenges adults and children living with developmental disabilities and their families face.

Early Days

In those early days, our founding families supported each other. Parents created activities for the children, provided hot lunches, and carpooled. These modest actions helped in the short term, but the road ahead required more strategic planning. We needed to organize a bigger community to withstand the challenges of the future.

As we grew, families shared success stories around Roswell. We began playing a major role in providing more developmental services to Roswell’s community of disabled individuals, with therapy designed for their individual needs. We scheduled and joined them on important visits to the doctor. We helped them gain employment and discovered other ways of growing their talents and abilities.

Where We Are Today

Through the strong leadership of our Executive Director, Joe Madrid, our committed staff, our families, and our caring community, we’ve brought all our ideas to fruition. From the small beginnings of nine staff members and a budget of just under $112,000 in 1979 to 195 employees and a budget of $7 million today, we have seen exponential growth while leading in fulfilling the needs of every individual we encounter.

With ongoing advocacy and outreach to the greater community, we work hard to remove the stigma of developmental disabilities and champion those we serve. The pinnacle of our achievement is the safe space we’ve created, where individuals embody the vibrant and colorful pattern of the tightly knit fabric of Roswell and the greater Chaves County.

What started as a family advocacy effort has grown into the foremost center of support for our developmentally challenged citizens, helping them create fulfilling lives, lived to the fullest, regardless of any challenge or disability.