Dedicated to Making an Impact
We don't do this work for the awards, but this recognition helps you know we take it seriously. Over our forty-year history, The Mountain Center has earned a national reputation in the field of experiential education and wilderness adventure—particularly for our work with vulnerable youth. We've demonstrated program excellence as well with a record of program safety that spans over thirty years. The Mountain Center has taken a national leadership role in the development of risk management standards for experiential education and wilderness-adventure programs and is accredited by the Association for Experiential Education. In addition, we are widely recognized for our work with adults through its Behavioral Health and Harm Reduction Programs.
- In 2020 won second place for Best Mental Health Care Provider in the Santa Fe Reporter Best of Issue
- In 2019 celebrated 40 year anniversary and Mayor Alan Webber declared September 14th "Mountain Center Day" in Santa Fe
- In 2018 received Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Accreditation
- In 2018 recipient of Buckaroo Ball grant
- In 2015 established an office in Rio Arriba
- In 2014 became Medicaid Provider and started our Counseling Services program
- In 2011 we receive the prestigious Piñon Award “Tried and True” from the Santa Fe Community Foundation.
- In 2008 TMC received the highest recognition from the Association for Experiential Education as National Organization of the Year award.
- In 2005 started the New Mexico Gender and Sexualities Alliance program-a statewide program serving LGBTQ2s+ youth and adults
- In 2005 started Harm Reduction Program serving Northern New Mexico and Rio Arriba County
- In 2003 TMC received the Human Treasure award from the Human Rights Alliance.
- In 2000 TMC received accreditation in the Association for Experiential Education’s Accreditation for adventure programs
- In 1996 we were awarded grant monies to develop a therapeutic, experiential intervention program to work with Native Americans who had been arrested for drinking while driving.
- In 1996, the Center was given the Santa Fe Community Foundation Piñon Award for providing program excellence to the community.
- TMC worked with the Utah Department of Corrections to develop the standards for wilderness programs operating in the State of Utah with juvenile corrections populations. The Mountain Center was the first wilderness adventure program in the United States to receive certification from the State of Utah.
- Television features on NBC’s Today Show, Australian Sixty Minutes, National Public Television’s “Checking it Out”, Gannett Broadcasting, and Denver Public Television’s KBDI.
- Feature articles on the work of the Center in People Magazine, Parade Magazine, The New York Times, The New Age Journal.
- 1986 Governor’s Award for Program Merit – Governor Tony Anaya and the Governor’s Council of Children and Youth
- Recognition of Program Merit – National Association of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Pittsburgh, Pa.
- 1981 Eleanor P. Eells Award for Program Excellence – American Camping Association (Recognized as the outstanding program of the year working with troubled youth.)
- 1980 Model Program Award – U.S. Department of Education (SFMC was picked as one of the ten outstanding experiential education programs in the United States.)