A Community in Crisis
The Eagle County community faced significant challenges in behavioral healthcare, with a rise in suicides, increasing mental health issues among school children, and limited access to licensed providers. Recognizing the need for change, Vail Health collaborated with community leaders and identified 20 gaps in the existing behavioral health system. It became evident that a comprehensive, community-centered system was required to address these pressing issues effectively.
An Innovative Approach
Vail Health Foundation took the lead in developing a collaborative approach by partnering with over 40 community organizations. Instead of solely raising funds for their own initiatives, they formed used a collective impact model to raise funds together with partner organizations.
Vail Health invested $60 million to establish Eagle Valley Behavioral Health (EVBH), a separate nonprofit entity, which led the collaborative effort. They focused on six key initiatives, including increasing provider access, system coordination, prevention and education, crisis response, transition services, and school-based services. Additionally, the Foundation launched the 'It Takes a Valley' campaign, aiming to raise $100 million over ten years to sustain these critical initiatives.
Impressive Outcomes
The outcomes achieved by Vail Health Foundation demonstrate the necessity and success of their innovative approach. In nearly four years, they raised $84.2 million toward their campaign goal, with $21 million specifically raised for partner organizations. The community witnessed a transformative impact, including the tripling of behavioral health providers, enhanced coordination of care, placement of school-based clinicians, and the development of outpatient and inpatient facilities. The number of patients served surpassed initial estimates, and the community experienced a significant improvement in access to and quality of behavioral health services.
Follow Vail Health’s Lead
The innovative model implemented by Vail Health Foundation offers valuable insights for organizations seeking to make a similar impact in their communities. Leaders at Vail Health recommend the following steps:
Embrace abundance: Adopt an abundance mindset when fundraising, focusing on collaboration rather than competition. By working together, organizations can maximize the impact of their campaigns and attract larger gifts.
Establish a backbone: Create a central operational infrastructure to support partner organizations. This includes providing fundraising tools, strategic guidance, and communication resources to enhance the collective impact.
Share success and credit: Regularly convene partner organizations to share progress, celebrate achievements, and recognize the contributions of each organization. This fosters a sense of unity and ensures the community understands the transformative power of their collective efforts.
Set boundaries: Clearly define the scope of your initiatives to maintain focus. While other related areas may arise, maintaining boundaries helps prevent scope creep and ensures the sustainability of the campaign.
Vail Health Foundation's innovative approach to addressing the behavioral health crisis in the Eagle County community has yielded outstanding results. Their collaborative model, which focused on shared fundraising and support for partner organizations, has significantly improved access to behavioral health services and transformed countless lives. Because of this, AHP is pleased to honor this team for their contributions.