Kala Bettis
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Prior to her career in behavioral health, I spent a decade in law enforcement on narcotics interdiction and intelligence analysis. Seeing gaps in resource delivery, I began my clinical path through crisis and advocacy services, school counseling, and outreach operations management. I subsequently earned my licenses in School Counseling, Addiction Counseling, and Professional Counseling. I also hold certifications in Advanced Pharmacology and Clinical Supervision. My passion areas include: promoting accessibility to care, providing wrap-around care to the most marginalized, high risk populations and driving the integration of medical and behavioral health treatment.
Why do you want to join the ECPS Board of Directors?
Vail Health Behavioral Health works closely with our Community Paramedics, sharing triage needs and wraparound care for patients in our community. Having an understanding of service lines that work closely with our ECPS departments is helpful in aligning efforts, expanding programing and enhancing partnership for the smoothest collaboration possible.
What are some of your prior board leadership experiences?
While this will be my first position as a board member, I have extensive experience interfacing with and cultivating important relationships with the Eagle Valley Behavioral Health Board and Colorado Mountain Medical Physician’s Board. Further, in my role managing the Vail Health's Integrated Behavioral Health Program, I serves as the liaison between community, patient, physician and partners. This knowledge and experience has been an asset clinically and would undoubtedly be an asset as a ECPS board member.
What skills, connections, resources and expertise do you have to offer to our organization?
Having lived in Eagle County for 15 years, I have long-standing relationships with paramedic services, Your Hope Center, Vail Health, and our local law enforcement agencies. I have worked in first responder capacities both clinically for crisis intervention and critical incidents, as well as throughout my career in law enforcement on the municipal and federal levels. Having held leadership roles in each entity, I can provide various perspectives on optimizing response, job performance, wellness, and implementing best practice to deliver life-saving resources to our community.
What are your hobbies and interests?
I enjoy cooking, running and skiing in our beautiful valley with my husband and two stepchildren.