Connecting with Kathleen: Pitkin Area Co-responder Teams with Kat Buesch

Discover how Pitkin County’s innovative PACT Co-Responder Team is transforming mental health response — pairing clinicians with law enforcement to provide compassionate crisis care instead of criminalization.

In this episode of Connecting with Kathleen, host Kathleen Callahan sits down with Bush from the PACT (Pitkin Area Co-Responder Team) to discuss:

How mental health professionals and police collaborate on crisis calls

The goals of decriminalizing mental illness and substance use

What happens during a “behavioral health call”

The importance of peer support and case management

Local challenges like alcohol culture, housing, and access to care

How community members can safely seek help without fear of legal trouble

If you live in Aspen, Snowmass, or Pitkin County — or work in law enforcement, public health, or crisis response — this episode offers a powerful look at compassion-driven community safety.

📞 Learn more about local mental health and crisis resources:

PACT via Mind Springs Health

Aspen Hope Center (24/7 Crisis Support)

Response: Domestic & Sexual Violence Services

🎬 Connecting with Kathleen spotlights local agencies improving wellness and mental health across the Roaring Fork Valley. Subscribe for more inspiring conversations that connect our community through care.

Know Aspen. Watch GrassRoots.

GrassRoots programming is made possible by the producers' creativity itself, direct contributions from viewers, members of the Roaring Fork Valley community, and through grants from the Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund, The Town of Snowmass Village, the City of Aspen Community Non-Profit Grant Program, and The Aspen Thrift Shop.

Founded by citizens of Aspen, Colorado in 1972, GrassRoots TV is the first and oldest community operated and programmed open-source media center and television station in the United States. Virtually all of the programming is created by local residents, occasionally with world renown guests.

In partnership with the American Archive of Public Media and the Library of Congress, GrassRoots is currently cataloguing, restoring and digitally archiving 700 of the most at-risk original video programs out of its 45,000 title Community Video Archive.

Help sustain this community treasure by donating now! Go to:
https://bit.ly/GRTVContribute

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, HIT LIKE and leave a COMMENT to let us know if you enjoyed this video, it is important to us and the community for you to become part of the conversation. Thanks for tuning in!

Download the GrassRoots Community Network iOS and Android apps
Subscribe for more videos: https://bit.ly/2Ycpi4P
Facebook:   / grassrootscommunitynetwork  
Twitter:   / grassrootstv  
Web: http://www.grassrootstv.org/