STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust has donated $58,675 to the Blaine County Mental Well-Being Initiative.

The donation is part of more than $2.83 million it is giving to efforts to support mental health in mountain resort communities across the West and in Vermont.

The money will be used to collect survey data on key behavioral health metrics beginning in January 2025.

Ongoing community planning and investment in the Mental Well-Being Initiative’s five primary goals is underway, said Megan Tanous, chief development officer at St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation, which is leading the Initiative. The Initiative involves collaboration of 40 organizations and agencies.

The focus is on fostering welcoming community spaces, providing comprehensive mental health training, enhancing access to behavioral health care, establishing 24-hour crisis response, and creating the infrastructure needed to make mental health a community-wide priority.

Since 2016, Katz Amsterdam has contributed more than $27 million to organizations in mountain resort communities, including $19 million to support initiatives that enhance access to services and reduce stigma around mental and behavioral health.

The foundation was founded by Vail Resorts executive chairperson Rob Katz and his wife Elana Amsterdam, New York Times bestselling author and founder of Elana’s Pantry. The 11 new grants, including the one given to Blaine County, will further enable innovation in behavioral health across 10 communities in Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming and Vermont.  

“We continue to be inspired by the dedication of our mountain community partners, and are honored to support their vital work,” said Beth Ganz, executive director of the Katz Amsterdam Foundation.  “We are particularly excited about the efforts to develop community-driven, culturally responsive services tailored to meet the needs of communities of color.”

The Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust grant recipients:

ASPEN, COLORADO 

Aspen Community Foundation - $200,000

To develop bilingual bicultural peer support training, provide scholarships for treatment and sober living, and increase access to culturally affirming mental behavioral health care and substance use treatment for the Latine community in the Roaring Fork Valley. Sub-grantees include: Valley Settlement and A Way Out.  

CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO

 Crested Butte State of Mind - $70,000 

To create substance use prevention programming and to expand equitable access to mental behavioral health support by providing therapy scholarships and community connection events for communities of color. 

Gunnison Valley Health Foundation - $105,000 

To provide training and hire a substance use recovery peer support specialist and in-person interpreters, and to support an indigenous population’s mental health needs by employing a bilingual patient navigator. 

EAGLE COUNTY, COLORADO

 Vail Health Behavioral Health - $525,000 

To provide psychiatric and care coordination services and increase equitable access to, and awareness of, mental health and substance use services in Eagle County through partnerships with the local Federally Qualified Health Center and non-profits that serve Spanish speaking youth and residents seeking to recover from substance use. Subgrantees include: My Future Pathways, Reconnected, and Mountain Family Health Centers.  

JACKSON, WYOMING

Community Foundation of Jackson Hole - $175,000 

To provide peer support specialist trainings, youth day treatment, bilingual bicultural facilitation of substance abuse recovery groups, and Latina Empowerment Circles.  And to enable focus groups to inform mental behavioral health strategy in Teton County. Subgrantees include: Voices of Jackson Hole, Community Safety Network, Teton Youth and Family Services, and Mental Health and Recovery Services of Jackson Hole.  

PARK CITY, UTAH

Park City Community Foundation - $500,000 

To provide substance use recovery and mental health support in Summit County, Utah, including scholarships for treatment, training, and bilingual services. Sub-grantees include: Latino Behavioral Health Services, Jewish Family Services, People’s Health Clinic, Peace House, Christian Center of Park City, Holy Cross Ministries, Live Like Sam, Summit County Clubhouse, and the Summit County Recovery Foundation.  

SUMMIT COUNTY, COLORADO

Building Hope Summit County - $500,000 

To support the mental health of the Spanish-speaking community through improved access, an alcohol awareness and reduction campaign, withdrawal management treatment and staffing, and medication assisted alcohol and substance abuse treatment. Subgrantees include: Recovery Resources, Front Range Clinic, Summit County Care Clinic, and Family Intercultural Resource Center.   

SUN VALLEY, IDAHO

St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation - $58,675 

To gather Blaine County community and provider survey data for upload into the KAF Shared Measurement Framework Data Dashboard, where it will be used to track community mental behavioral health needs and to inform strategic direction. Subgrantees include: Blaine County’s Well-Being Initiative.  

TAHOE/TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA/NEVADA

Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation – $300,000 

To support implementation of the North Tahoe Truckee Regional Road Map mental behavioral health priorities, including an alcohol reduction campaign, peer services, and substance use recovery and mental health programming in Spanish for youth and adults.  Sub-grantees include: Sierra Community House, Gateway Mountain Center, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, The Speedy Foundation, and the Community Collaborative of Tahoe Truckee. 

TELLURIDE, COLORADO

Telluride Foundation - $100,000 

To provide medically assisted substance abuse treatment, immigrant mental health and navigation services, and domestic violence and sexual assault mental health support for the Latine Community in San Miguel County.  Subgrantees include: Tri County Health Network, Telluride Regional Medical Center, and San Miguel Resource Center.  

VERMONT

Vermont Community Foundation - $250,000 

General mental and behavioral health support.

Learn more about the Katz Amsterdam Foundation at www.katzamsterdam.org.