Vail Health Seeks Community Input for Behavioral Health Survey

Vail Health is currently conducting its biannual behavioral health survey, which aims to gather insights from community members in Eagle County and Summit County. The survey serves as a critical tool for assessing local behavioral health needs and influences how Vail Health allocates funding for related programs.

Dana Erpelding, Vice President of Behavioral Health Operations at Vail Health, emphasized that the survey is designed to understand the behavioral health perspectives of residents, saying, “The purpose of the survey is to evaluate behavioral health needs and perspectives of community members in Eagle County.” This anonymous survey is open to all individuals aged 18 and older who live and work in Eagle County, while a similar survey is available for Summit County residents and employees.

Survey Goals and Impact

The survey addresses a range of topics, including community connections, quality of life, and health needs related to behavioral health and alcohol use. Since its inception in 2020, the survey has been conducted every two years, in collaboration with the Katz Amsterdam Foundation. This nonprofit, founded by Rob Katz and Elana Amsterdam, aims to enhance behavioral health resources in mountain communities.

“This was intended to be an investment in local mountain communities to help improve access to behavioral health resources,” Erpelding explained. The foundation developed the survey questions, which have remained consistent over the years to track changes in responses. The first survey was conducted just before the COVID-19 pandemic, providing invaluable insights into community needs prior to the crisis.

Data collected from the survey is used to evaluate whether existing local programs meet current behavioral health needs. It also assesses the effectiveness of various interventions and allows for comparisons with other mountain communities. In 2026, the survey will expand to include ten rural resort communities, further enriching the data set.

Erpelding noted, “We’ve also been able to compare that data to other mountain communities. Where we’ve seen significant progress due to various programs that we’ve implemented, we can share those lessons learned with other communities that are still struggling.”

Investing in Local Resources

The survey plays a crucial role in determining how Vail Health directs its behavioral health funding. Recent efforts have focused on enhancing positive outcomes in behavioral health, which has included increasing the number of therapists, psychiatrists, case managers, and school-based clinicians in the area.

“We’ve seen some real positive trends, and we hope that as we continue to implement the survey every two years, we’ll continue to see those improvements year over year,” Erpelding stated. The Katz Amsterdam Foundation contributes approximately $500,000 annually to support behavioral health initiatives in Eagle County. Vail Health uses these funds to assist local organizations, such as My Future Pathways and RECONNECTED, that share similar goals.

Historically, there has been a gap in substance use programs within the community, particularly concerning alcohol use. The survey data has highlighted this need, prompting Vail Health to invest both foundation funds and additional resources to support the establishment of nonprofits like RECONNECTED.

Survey organizers aim to receive a minimum of 800 responses to ensure diverse input. The survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete and is available in both English and Spanish. Erpelding encouraged participation, stating, “The more data we have, the better informed our decisions are on where we invest community dollars.”

She added, “Honest feedback helps us to understand what’s working, where our gaps remain, and how we can better support the mental wellbeing for people who live in our community.” The results of the survey are scheduled to be released in spring or early summer 2026, which will inform behavioral health care strategies for the following two years.

The survey will remain open until February 7, 2026, and can be accessed at VailHealthBH.org/Encuesta-Comunitaria. All responses are recorded anonymously, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of community needs in Eagle County.