APPLETON, Wis. — May 7, 2026 — Catalpa Health and the Catalpa Foundation unveiled a new donor recognition mural Thursday evening during a special celebration at their clinic in Appleton. The mural installation honors the founding partners and donors whose generosity has helped shape and sustain pediatric mental health care at Catalpa Health from the start.
Located inside the Catalpa Health community room, the mural serves as both a permanent donor recognition wall and a visual representation of Catalpa tree, recognized by its heart shaped leaves and ability to nurture and sustain the environment it inhabits.
“I am honored that in a small way my legacy is connected to the Catalpa donors and their legacy of care for this community,” said Kat Gottlieb, mural artist and longtime Catalpa partner.
The unveiling comes during National Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and highlighting the growing need for mental health support for children and families. Across Wisconsin and the nation, youth mental health concerns continue to rise, placing increased demand on providers and support systems.
Over the past year alone, Catalpa Health delivered more than 58,000 appointments across its service lines and served nearly 8,000 clients throughout the region.
“From the very beginning, our donors, partners, and advocates have been the heart of Catalpa,” said Amanda Charais, Executive Director of the Catalpa Foundation. “This mural is a tribute to the individuals, families, organizations, and community leaders who believed in this mission and helped build it into what it is today. Because of their generosity, thousands of children and families have been able to access life-changing mental health care and support. We are incredibly grateful for the role they continue to play in helping kids in our community thrive.”
Catalpa Health was founded in 2012 through a unique collaboration between Ascension Wisconsin, Children’s Wisconsin, and ThedaCare in response to growing concerns surrounding pediatric mental health and youth suicide in the region. Since then, Catalpa has grown into Wisconsin’s leading outpatient pediatric mental health provider, offering therapy, psychiatry, diagnostic assessments, urgent care services, school-based therapy, and intensive outpatient programming for children and teens.
The donor wall recognizes individuals and organizations who were instrumental in the founding of Catalpa Health and the Catalpa Foundation, along with donors who have contributed more than $100,000 in support of the organization’s mission.
The event also celebrated the continued growth of the Catalpa Foundation, which officially launched in May 2025 to expand access to pediatric mental health services, strengthen workforce development efforts, and support programs like Catalpa Cares, a safety net fund for families who cannot afford care.
About Catalpa Health:
Catalpa Health is a pediatric outpatient mental health provider based in Appleton, Wisconsin. Founded in 2012 through a collaboration between Ascension Wisconsin, Children’s Wisconsin, and ThedaCare, Catalpa offers diagnostic assessments, therapy, psychiatry, urgent care, and school-based services to children and teens throughout Northeast Wisconsin.
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Tara Brzozowski
Showcase Communications
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