The Mental Health Coalition of Teton Valley was awarded a $2,500 Competitive Grant to create a Regional Resource Guide Project. Working with clients and community stakeholders, they:
- Gathered and systematized everything known locally via interviews with relevant professionals.
- Documented the needs of first responders and other community workers.
- Identified gaps in our collective understanding of what is needed.
- Worked with our local partners to also document secondary needs.
- Used the professional knowledge of our staff and partners to evaluate and vet the capability of the resources gathered.
They are now in the process of updating a website to host this information. A beta site is currently up and running. Identifying local gaps in mental health services from many perspectives helped the Mental Health Coalition focus its efforts on compiling regional resources. While there are still large gaps in Spanish-speaking services, they have expanded their referral network to include additional counselors, psychologists,
in-patient treatment service providers, and other specialists (like a qualified local OT who provides social-emotional training for parents and children).
This expansion moves the Coalition closer to being the trusted resource hub for all things mental health in Teton Valley to best serve the recording-breaking 360 people they served in 2023. With the substantial increase in requests for services and shortage of local providers to fill these needs, this guide is critically important to community members’ ability to access mental health care.
I don’t know how you guys matched me, but you did a fabulous job, as sometimes finding therapists you can connect with is really hard and intimidating. I couldn’t have asked for a better fit. Thank you for all that you do!”
Client who benefited from the expanded network
A family reached out needing care for their teen daughter. She had some specific mental health needs they hadn’t been able to find in the Valley. They were considering sending her to boarding school just to get services. In the past, I wouldn’t have known how to help this family. But because of our expanded resource pool, I was able to refer them to someone. Now, this girl can stay with her family, in her community, and get the care she needs. This is just one of many examples of how critical knowing about the resources within our region is.”
Faith Dixon, Case Manager
