Kami Black and Park City have shaped each other for decades—and still are. “I’m a native Utahn,” says the founder of ROOTs Transition, a residential program for adolescent females and families navigating depression, anxiety, and trauma. “I always thought of Park City as our own special bubble.”
Convinced of nature’s healing power and Park City’s kindness, Kami opened ROOTs in 2020 with a vision: a unique mental health program where the outdoor setting and open-hearted community were unmatched. “Our clients stay with us six to nine months,” she says of ROOTs home-like residence house. “We share the mountains with them—the air, the snow, the changing leaves, the sunrises.”
Over a 20-year career, she saw families “desperately seeking out-of-home treatment for their child, and their failed attempts to do it alone.” ROOTs was her answer: something better and different. “I toured more than 50 homes before finding the perfect spot for a safe space,” she says. “I love that our clients show up exactly as they are, knowing they’ll be held, not judged, as they build insight and motivation.”
Park City’s Mountainkind spirit offers an assist. “This work shouldn’t be done without access to community, and I’m forever grateful so many people have trusted my vision,” Kami says. ROOTs clients ski, hike, camp, paddleboard, work out at Basin, enjoy Woodward and roam local open-air markets. The combination of nature and generous hearts “give our clients the best of both worlds.”
Some of her favorite moments come when dearly-remembered former clients check in. “I love when they update us,” she says. “Change is messy, but even in the struggle, it’s beautiful to hear from them.”
Kami admits to many sleepless nights when planting ROOTs in Park City soil, but the mission—helping young women and families heal in the heart of the mountains— is always worth it. “It’s an honor.”