Vail Resorts Investing in a New Mental Health Program for Its Employees

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Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts’ new Mental Health Program for its employees.

The following email was sent by Vail Resorts CEO, Kirsten Lynch, to team members on July 7, 2022.

Team –

In March, I shared the details of our new direction to focus on all of you – year-round and seasonal, hourly and salaried, mountain resorts and corporate. We cannot create an Experience of a Lifetime for our guests without first creating an Experience of a Lifetime for you.

That $175 million investment announced in March included higher wages, seasonal frontline leadership development, a new employee discount for retail, an investment in new affordable housing, and increased HR support. Additionally, last week I shared expanded healthcare benefits for reproductive healthcare.

Today I am pleased to share a New Mental Health Program for You.  

Mental health is a critical part of our overall health and wellness. One in five adults across North America experience a mental illness¹ and the number of adults experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression has nearly quadrupled since 2019². A recent survey by the American Psychological Association found that stress is at an all-time high, with 87% of adults feeling there has been a constant stream of crisis without a break over the last two years. On average, people wait 11 years to get treatment for mental health issues³.

The new investment in mental health is available to all team members, regardless of whether you are enrolled in our healthcare plan or not, effective August 1, 2022. 

Free Therapy for You

All team members are guaranteed access to six free and confidential sessions per year. Six therapy sessions can cost up to $1,200 – and this is available to you at no cost.

Free Therapy for Your Roommates and Dependents

In addition to the six free and confidential therapy sessions per year for you, Vail Resorts will provide six free therapy sessions for your roommates and dependents.

New Therapy Options

You will now have options for therapy including: in-person, phone, video or text message therapy. You will be able to participate in an online intake process for therapy that makes it easier and faster to get matched to a provider that meets your needs. This means you can now immediately connect with a therapist without having to talk with a person first to get scheduled.

New Expanded Clinical Network

You will be able to now match with a professional who specializes in working with specific populations and presentations. Qualified therapists that focus on LGBTQ+, BIPOC, First Responders, and others, as well as therapists who specifically help with anxiety, depression, or parenting are available.

New Exclusive Mindfulness App for You

You will get exclusive access to unlimited mindfulness resources including live and virtual sessions, on-demand content, and immersive programs on a range of topics, from anxiety to sleep to leadership. Mindfulness can help us all build skills for everyday life to create a deeper connection with ourselves and others with a greater sense of purpose for the world around us.

New Professional Wellness Coaching for You

You will be able to use free and confidential coaching to help you proactively meet your personal wellness goals. A coach can help you set goals, do regular progress checks, and answer questions along the way to achieve what matters most to you – including fitness, nutrition, stress, injury recovery, relationships, and more.

I am deeply committed to ensuring you have the resources and support you need to be healthy and safe and to creating an inclusive and equitable work environment for everyone at Vail Resorts. Be on the lookout for more information about how to access the new mental health program on August 1.

Kirsten Lynch

Chief Executive Officer

  1. National Alliance on Mental Illness, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
  3. National Alliance on Mental Illness 

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