Mountain resort communities are known for their natural beauty and seasonal economies, but behind the scenes, many face persistent challenges in accessing mental and behavioral health care. Geographic isolation, workforce shortages and affordability barriers often limit access to services, particularly for marginalized populations.
To address these gaps, the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust has announced a $3.2 million investment to support mental health and substance use services across 11 mountain communities in seven U.S. states. The funding will support 12 primary grantees and 33 subgrantees, with a focus on expanding bilingual and culturally responsive care, strengthening prevention and recovery programs and improving data systems to guide local decision-making.
The initiative builds on nearly a decade of investment from the Katz Amsterdam Foundation (KAF), which has contributed close to $30 million toward community-based programs, including more than $22 million dedicated to mental and behavioral health. This latest round of funding emphasizes a community-driven approach, where local organizations identify priorities and design programs tailored to their populations.
To better understand how the funding will be implemented and measured, SnowOps spoke with Beth Ganz, executive director of the KAF, as well as Kelsey Pietraton, senior director of corporate and employee communications at Vail Resorts.
Supporting mental health in mountain communities
How will KAF track and measure success over time for these grants?
BG: Communities track their own strategic efforts via the KAF shared measurement framework data dashboard, a community level measurement tool tracking community, provider, youth and mortality data over time. The goal of this dashboard is to help communities create and maintain impactful mental and behavioral health systems and programs that best serve their residents.
What role do local community organizations and residents play in shaping how the funds are used? Is this a top-down grant, or community-driven?
BG: KAF uses a community-centric approach to grant making, recognizing that communities know best what is needed to support mental behavioral health of their residents. Each year, communities determine their program priorities and request grant funds based on those priorities.
Will there be efforts to share best practices across the more than 11 communities receiving grants, to replicate effective programs elsewhere?
BG: The KAF network regularly participates in shared learning across all communities. This allows for creative and effective programming ideas to spread to support the mental behavioral health needs of people where they live and work. These shared learning opportunities happen through an annual convening in May, a virtual fall forum, community visits and regular webinars and connections of professionals working on similar challenges.
Beyond treatment, how does KAF plan to support prevention, outreach and long-term resilience in mental health, especially for youth and marginalized groups?
BG: Informed by data, KAF network communities are regularly identifying prevention, intervention and treatment needs as part of their strategic mental behavioral health efforts. KAF is pleased to support these efforts.
Is this $3.2 million donation a one-time grant or part of a continuing commitment? What are the long-term plans for supporting mental and behavioral health in these communities?
BG: Since 2016, KAF has provided nearly $30 million to support mountain resort communities, including over $22 million for mental and behavioral health efforts. We are proud of the relationships that we have developed with our partners and value their unique position in providing and supporting wellness. Our list of partners has grown alongside of our commitment to mental behavioral health.
How does this grant initiative intersect with other efforts by Vail Resorts to support housing, employment, or other social determinants of health in mountain towns?
BG: During the 2023-24 winter season, the most recent season for which we have shared data, Vail Resorts awarded $11.2 million to community non-profits supporting shared priorities such as affordable housing, mental health, accessibility and more.
Does KAF plan to expand into other areas besides mental health and substance use, such as broader social services or civic engagement?
BG: KAF is launching a new catalyst grant program in three communities this summer, focused on social servicesthrough direct grant making. We hope these grants will further support the needs of mountain resort communities.
What message would you like to send to community members, local leaders and stakeholders about equitable access to mental health services?
BG: When we speak about supporting mental behavioral health in mountain resort communities, we truly mean supporting the entire community. It is critical to address the barriers of care that exist because of historic and systemic inequality. We are committed to supporting communities as they strive to achieve health equity and eliminate health disparities – so that everyone can truly thrive.
