BOULDER, Colo. — The Katz Amsterdam Foundation (KAF), a nonprofit founded by Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz and his late wife Elana Amsterdam, brought together mental and behavioral health leaders from mountain communities across the West this week for its annual Convening. Held each May, the gathering strengthens peer relationships across a growing network while advancing shared, community-driven solutions.
Since 2008, Katz Amsterdam has provided over $80 million in philanthropic investments and programming across the United States. Of that, $30 million has been specifically directed to mountain communities, with more than $22 million going directly to support mental and behavioral health initiatives in rural mountain communities.
Today, the Foundation partners with organizations in 12 mountain resort communities (Aspen, CO; Crested Butte/Gunnison, CO; Eagle County, CO; Steamboat Springs, CO; Summit County, CO; Winter Park, CO; Telluride, CO; Park City, UT; Tahoe/Truckee, CA & NV; Jackson Hole, WY; Sun Valley, ID; and Big Sky, MT), where local leaders define priorities and deploy funding to address their most pressing needs. While mental health and substance use challenges are significant nationwide, mountain communities can often face unique barriers like geography and provider shortages.
This year’s Convening underscored how sustained investment and collaboration are driving tangible progress,including the continued expansion of a first-of-its-kind shared mental health data dashboard. Now used across nearly all partner communities, spanning seven Western states, the dashboard reflects years of coordinated effort and provides critical insights to better understand trends, allocate resources, and improve outcomes in mountain communities.
The KAF Shared Measurement Framework Data Dashboard allows communities to track trends in mental health, provider capacity, youth well-being, and behavioral health-related outcomes over time. Developed in partnership with local leaders, the dashboard grew out of community conversations that identified gaps in existing data and the need for aligned measures that still preserve local context. The tool helps communities better understand their systems, track progress, and direct resources toward community-identified priorities.
“Shared data creates shared learning, which is essential for behavioral health,” said Rob Katz, co-founder of the Katz Amsterdam Foundation. “After a decade of working alongside mountain community leaders, we’ve seen firsthand how sustained partnerships lead to sustained results. This dashboard is one example of how leaders can learn from one another to better understand their communities and respond more effectively to behavioral health needs.”
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That shared learning is already making an impact. In Tahoe Truckee, California & Nevada, the dashboard has provided data that shows below-poverty residents carry the heaviest need for mental and behavioral health services. Local organizations such as Tahoe Family Solutions, Crow’s Nest Ranch, Sierra Community House, and What’s Up Wellness provide mental health support regardless of pay to combat the income gradient, with support from the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust.
Learn more at http://www.katzamsterdam.org.