10/09/26
Watch the Health Beyond Healthcare initiative workshop with Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon
“This is a problem that everyone in the country is wrestling with,” Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon said about mental health at the Health Beyond Healthcare initiative workshop in Jackson, Wyoming, last week (October 8-9).
"[But] we are beginning, as a society, to start to talk about what are the things that we can do instead of just treating symptoms or just standing over whatever has happened and lamenting it,” he continued. “And it is why it is so great to have WGA and you all here today. It is a time that we can start to find community – it's not bipartisan, it's not nonpartisan, it’s common sense, it’s humanity, it's our ability to meet the future head-on.”
In addition to making opening remarks at the workshop, Governor Gordon joined WGA Executive Director Jack Waldorf and Ortus Foundation founder Sabrina Carpenter for a discussion about rising behavioral health needs in the West and how we can work together to leverage federal resources, develop new funding streams, and implement effective, bipartisan policy that truly moves the needle on health outcomes across western communities.
The workshop also convened experts from across the country for panel discussions on the mental health workforce, improving mental health for rural western workers, the effects of the outdoors on mental health, suicide prevention, and moral trauma.
Watch Governor Gordon’s conversation or any of the workshop panels by clicking the titles below.
Addressing the Mental Health Workforce Gap
Acute mental health workforce shortages have hindered the ability to provide comprehensive mental health services to western residents, especially in rural and underserved communities. This panel will explore ways to strengthen the workforce pipeline, address workforce gaps, and improve retention and well-being to support a robust mental health workforce.
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Laura Beeth, Senior Advisor, Solutions Architect, Futuro Health
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Dennis Mohatt, Vice President for Behavioral Health, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
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Molly Molloy, Associate Professor and Director of Field Education, Master of Social Work Program, Carroll College
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Lauren Schoenfeld, Executive Director, Wyoming Innovation Partnership
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Amy Scharaswak, Director of Population Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming
Workers in rural western communities face unique mental health pressures tied to economic uncertainty and seasonal employment, isolation, stigma, and difficulty accessing traditional behavioral health services. This panel will examine factors contributing to elevated substance use and mental health challenges in these communities and explore locally led strategies to strengthen social connection, build resilience, and expand access to behavioral health resources.
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Jim Cowser, CEO, Central Behavioral Health
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Carisa Schweitzer Masek, Counselor, Immediate Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Gina Livingston-Smith, Senior Designer and Behavioral Health Planner, HDR
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Chad Reznicek, Behavioral Health State Specialist, Colorado State University Extension; Co-Director, Colorado AgrAbility Project
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Mike Wandler, President and CEO, L&H Industrial
Mental Health and the Outdoors
The West is home to some of the nation’s most breathtaking and iconic landscapes. Spending time in nature and participating in outdoor recreation can improve mental health, reduce stress, and strengthen overall well-being. This panel will explore how the outdoors can support individual and community wellness, as well as ways to expand access to these benefits and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities across the region.
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Chris Perkins, Vice President of Programs, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable
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Gregory Bratman, Associate Professor and Director, Environment and Well-Being Lab, University of Washington
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Mark Tesoro, Manager, Office of Outdoor Recreation, Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources
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Jason Baldes, Executive Director, Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative
The Honorable Mark Gordon, Governor of Wyoming, will sit down for a conversation with Jack Waldorf, Executive Director of WGA, and Sabrina Gracias, Founder of the Ortus Foundation, to discuss rising behavioral health needs in the West and how we can work together to leverage federal resources, develop new funding streams, and implement effective, bipartisan policy that truly moves the needle on health outcomes across western communities.
- The Honorable Mark Gordon, Governor of Wyoming
Suicide Prevention and the Crisis Care Continuum
The West faces a particularly high prevalence of suicide. This panel will examine how states and communities can strengthen suicide prevention and crisis care systems. Panelists will discuss using population-level data to inform prevention efforts, expanding community training, promoting lethal means reduction, and implementing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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Kent Corso, Suicidologist, Thrive Together Foundation; Founder, PROSPER
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Holly Wilcox, Director and Founder, Johns Hopkins Center for Suicide Prevention; Professor, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Tracy Gruber, Commissioner, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
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Joshua Stegemeyer, Suicide Prevention Program Manager, Arizona Department of Health Services
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Tannuja Rozario, Director of Research and Engagement, Everytown for Gun Safety
While the number of children and adolescents experiencing mental health conditions has increased significantly in recent years, one of the most alarming trends is the growing rate of suicide. This panel will explore effective approaches to preventing suicide among children and adolescents, with a focus on the role of schools, families, communities, and health systems. Panelists will highlight efforts to identify risk early, improve prevention, and create safer, more supportive environments for young people.
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Dustin Brown, Regional Director, Intermountain West, Ortus Foundation
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Carson Domey, Executive Director, Coalition for Student Wellbeing
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Lachelle Brant, Director of State and Federal Policy, BARR Center
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Michael Staley, Suicide Prevention Research Coordinator and Psychological Autopsy Examiner, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
Professions that serve others can involve high-stakes experiences that conflict with deeply held values, such as witnessing suffering or being unable to prevent harm. This session will consider the unique mental health stressors of service, with a focus on moral trauma, and how we can better support our veterans, health care workers, and first responders.
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Samantha Satchell, Vice President of Mission, Volunteers of America Northern Rockies
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Jim Zenner, Director of Military and Veterans Affairs, Los Angeles County
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Whittney LaCroix, President and Chief Nursing Officer, Tribal Health
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Katie Thomas, Emergency Dispatcher, Teton County Sheriff’s Office