Vail Health Launches Behavioral Health Survey to Enhance Community Support

Vail Health has initiated its biannual behavioral health survey, inviting responses from residents and workers in Eagle County. This survey aims to assess the community’s behavioral health needs and will inform how Vail Health allocates funding for related programs. According to Dana Erpelding, Vice President of Behavioral Health Operations at Vail Health, the survey’s goal is to evaluate the perspectives and needs of community members in the region.

Open to individuals aged 18 and older, the anonymous survey is accessible online and is available in both English and Spanish. A similar survey is also conducted for those living and working in nearby Summit County and eight other mountain resort communities. The survey includes questions on community connections, quality of life, and health needs related to behavioral health and substance use.

Community-Centric Approach to Behavioral Health

Since its inception in 2020, the survey has been administered every two years in collaboration with the Katz Amsterdam Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing behavioral health and addressing substance abuse issues in mountain communities. Erpelding highlighted that the foundation’s involvement allows local organizations, not affiliated with Vail Resorts, to utilize the data for investments and improvements in the behavioral health infrastructure.

The survey questions have remained consistent over time, enabling the comparison of responses across different periods. “The first survey was conducted right before the pandemic, which provided valuable insights into community behavioral health needs at that time,” Erpelding noted. The data collected will help determine if local programs effectively meet the current behavioral health requirements of Eagle County.

In 2026, the survey will expand to include ten rural resort communities, allowing for broader comparisons of behavioral health interventions. “We’ve observed significant progress in various programs we’ve implemented, and we aim to share our findings with other communities that are still facing challenges,” Erpelding explained.

Funding and Community Impact

The survey plays a crucial role in directing where Vail Health invests its behavioral health resources. The organization has focused on improving healthcare outcomes in Eagle County by increasing the number of therapists, psychiatrists, case managers, and school-based clinicians. Erpelding emphasized the positive trends observed as a result of these initiatives, hoping that continued surveys will lead to ongoing improvements.

Each year, the Katz Amsterdam Foundation contributes approximately $500,000 to support behavioral health initiatives within Eagle County. This funding enables Vail Health to collaborate with local partners, such as My Future Pathways and RECONNECTED, in addressing gaps in substance use programs, particularly concerning alcohol use in the mountain community.

Survey organizers aim to gather at least 800 responses to ensure diverse perspectives are represented. The survey, which takes between ten to fifteen minutes to complete, is crucial for informing decisions on community investments. “Honest feedback helps us identify what’s working and where we still have gaps,” Erpelding stated. “The more data we collect, the better informed our decisions are regarding the allocation of community funds.”

Results from the survey are anticipated to be released in spring or early summer of 2026, and will guide behavioral health care strategies for the next two years in Eagle County. The survey will remain open until February 7, 2026, and can be accessed at VailHealthBH.org/Encuesta-Comunitaria.