Natrona County health trust presents youth mental‑health forum findings; asks council to embed youth voice and fund 'third spaces'

The Natrona County Collective Health Trust presented findings from a December youth forum and the work of its Youth Mental Health Collective to the Casper City Council on a recent council night, and asked council members to help embed youth voices in city processes and consider support for youth “third spaces.”

The trust said the Youth Mental Health Collective convenes partners from the school district, local government, nonprofits, businesses and parents to build and publicize resources for young people. Beth Wharton, representing the trust, told the council the foundation formed after a 2020 transaction involving Banner Wyoming Medical Center and Wyoming Medical Center and that “since inception, we’ve done more than $10,000,000 in grants” to nonprofits across Natrona County and run programs including the Youth Mental Health Collective and a local safety‑and‑justice program.

The forum, held in December, drew 31 participants ages 12 to 18 from area middle and high schools and from homeschool and…