Katz Amsterdam Foundation Hosts 5th Annual Convening in Boulder Colorado, Connecting Western Mountain Resort Communities
May 16, 2024 – During the mental health awareness month of May, the Katz Amsterdam Foundation (KAF) convened over 75 leaders from eight western mountain resort communities to focus on mental behavioral efforts and build network connections across communities. This is the fifth KAF Convening since 2019 and included mental and behavioral health professionals and leaders from Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley, Crested Butte and Gunnison, Eagle County, Telluride, and Summit County in Colorado, Jackson, Wyoming, Park City, Utah, and the Truckee-Tahoe region in California/Nevada.
The Katz Amsterdam Foundation convenes a network of mountain community mental health leaders to share challenges and learnings from their efforts, and cultivate partnerships aimed at driving positive change and improved behavioral health systems and programs. In addition, the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust has provided almost $20 million in grants to mental behavioral health efforts in mountain communities since 2016.
The shared learning discussions at this year’s event utilized data collected in all eight mountain communities, which provides a comprehensive understanding of community well-being and the mental health systems that exist. This “Shared Measurement Framework” helps communities understand their own data, and measure that against other similarly-situated mountain towns.
“We are thrilled to have hosted another remarkable KAF Convening, bringing together leaders and changemakers from mountain resort communities in the western United States,” said Heather Trish, Mountain Mental Behavioral Health Network Director, of the Katz Amsterdam Foundation. “The strong leadership and innovative ideas are inspiring. By sharing insights, exchanging ideas, and fostering collaboration, we are confident that collective mental behavioral health efforts will pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient future for KAF Network communities.”
About the Katz Amsterdam Foundation
The Katz Amsterdam Foundation strives to be a catalyst for eliminating barriers to health, increasing access to opportunity, and improving outcomes for all. The Foundation believes that everyone benefits from living in healthy and cohesive communities, but access to these benefits is unequal. The Foundation works in partnership with communities to advance just and equitable approaches to accessing mental, behavioral, and reproductive health care and protect civil rights by increasing civic engagement and participation in a multiracial democracy. The Foundation does this work by addressing systemic injustice, racial and social disparities in mental health, reproductive health, and civic engagement. Its priority is to support community-driven work that meaningfully improves the lives of individuals and the social well-being of our communities. For more information, visit www.katzamsterdam.org.
Media Contact:
Heather Trish
Mountain Mental Behavioral Health Network Director
Katz Amsterdam Foundation
heather@katzamsterdam.org