Showing Up for Our Community: The Power of Case Management
Behavioral Health Case Management Services represents one of the most impactful investments in long-term community health and stability. Unlike crisis intervention or single-touch services, case management provides sustained, relationship-based support that helps individuals and families navigate complex systems, access essential resources, and develop skills for lasting independence and overall wellness. This continuous engagement prevents crises before they emerge, reduces costly emergency interventions, and opens pathways out of cycles of instability—especially for our community members facing barriers to basic needs.
How Case Management Has Evolved
Since October 2021, our dedicated case managers have guided people to available services in the region. The bilingual and bicultural team connects individuals of all ages and families to the care and support they need. These services are either covered by Medicaid or free for those without that coverage.
In 2026, our case management team began focusing exclusively on Medicaid patients, prioritizing the underserved with the most urgent needs. Because commercial insurance does not cover case management services, philanthropic support for our Case Management Endowment has become essential to the program’s long-term sustainability. Benefactor investment ensures it remains available for every community member who needs it.
Meeting People Where They Are
“Many of our clients have experienced longstanding patterns of abandonment. When a member of our team shows up consistently over months or longer, that steady presence often becomes the catalyst for meaningful change,” said Tracey Branch, Vail Health Behavioral Health’s Director of Case Management.
For individuals experiencing homelessness in Eagle County, case managers often serve as a critical lifeline. They coordinate community paramedic referrals, pick up medications when clients cannot, connect individuals to housing resources and the community market, and work with the Vail Health Behavioral Health Patient Assistance Fund to provide extra support, such as covering temporary stays at a local hotel.
Beyond connecting clients to resources, case managers also help individuals build life skills they may never have had the opportunity to develop. This proactive, trust-centered approach promotes stability and community connection and has a measurable impact on reducing emergency room visits, crisis walk-ins, and crisis calls.
Providing Healing Across the Continuum of Care
Since the Precourt Healing Center opened in May 2025, inpatient case managers have served 274 patients. Their duties include arranging reliable transportation for discharge, helping patients secure follow-up therapy appointments, and coordinating medication management visits to ensure continuity of care. They’ve worked alongside clinical teams to remove barriers for patients and families, ensuring aftercare plans are in place for a smooth handoff to outpatient services.
Outpatient case management is available at all Vail Health Behavioral Health clinic locations across Eagle County. In 2025, the team received 512 referrals, supporting residents with everything from navigation and peer support to long-term managed care. Case managers assess everyone’s needs, develop personalized care plans, connect clients to community resources, and follow up to ensure those connections hold.
They also partner with behavioral health providers at the Edwards Community Health Campus to provide mental health and substance misuse education in the community, meeting people in familiar settings to reduce stigma and expand access to care.
“I’m incredibly proud of our team,” Tracey shared. “They are compassionate and resourceful, and they truly understand the unique needs of this rural community. Each member brings their own expertise and perspective, together, we’re a unified force committed to the well-being of everyone we serve.”
