JACKSON, Wyo. — The Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust has awarded $260,000 to the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole to expand mental and behavioral health services in Teton County. The grant is part of more than $3 million in new funding committed this year by the Trust to strengthen mental health and substance use services across mountain communities.
Rob Katz—Co-Founder of the Katz Amsterdam Foundation and Chairperson and CEO of Vail Resorts—has made mental and behavioral health a central focus of the Foundation’s giving. Over the past decade, Katz and his late wife, Elana Amsterdam, have invested nearly $30 million in community-driven efforts that reduce barriers to care and increase access to culturally responsive services.
In Teton County, the new funding will support:
- Free or low-cost mental health and substance use treatment for Spanish-speaking residents
- Latina Empowerment Circles led by bilingual facilitators
- Counseling for single mothers participating in local job-training programs
- Community and provider behavioral health surveys in 2026, which will guide future system-level planning for the region
Funding will be distributed through four local partners: Mental Health & Recovery Services of Jackson Hole, Community Safety Network, Climb Wyoming, and The Mental Wellness Collaborative.
Kate Schelbe, Backbone Leader of the Teton Behavioral Health Alliance, said the investment strengthens the county’s ability to meet growing need. “This support helps reduce barriers to care and ensures more residents—especially those traditionally underserved—can access the behavioral health services they need.”
Rob Katz emphasized the broader commitment behind the funding:
“Mental health and substance use challenges are significant nationwide, but mountain communities often face unique barriers like geography and provider shortages. These grants reflect our belief that everyone—regardless of race, background, or location—deserves access to mental and behavioral health care.”
The Community Foundation of Jackson Hole and the Teton Behavioral Health Alliance will work with local partners to implement the funded programs and continue advancing community-driven solutions.
