Each year, the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health brings Idaho mayors and city staff together through Community Health Academy, a four-month learning collaborative focused on the many ways local leadership shapes community health.

After a previous cohort, one mayor told us, “I wish I had attended this program earlier in my time as mayor because it completely changed the way I think about my role in building community health.”

That comment stayed with us.

We began thinking about what could happen if mayors were introduced to these ideas at the very beginning of their time in office. Earlier exposure could shape how they approach decisions and help them see health as part of the work they are already doing.

So, in 2026, we tried something new: we built a cohort around first-year mayors.

Leaders from Ammon, Chubbuck, Garden City, Glenns Ferry, Moscow, Payette, Pocatello, Soda Springs and Spirit Lake spent four months exploring topics including housing, childcare, youth behavioral health, food systems, civility, storytelling, and community design.

The content mattered. But so did what happened between sessions.

Mayors built relationships with other local leaders facing similar challenges. They shared ideas and started conversations that are already continuing outside the Academy. Some are finding new ways to work together. Others are taking what they learned home and applying it to priorities already emerging in their communities.

That is what Community Health Academy is really about.

While the final sessions concluded in September, the work continues. Participating cities will receive grant funding and ongoing support from the Foundation as they put what they learned into action and continue shaping healthier communities.

We could not be prouder of this cohort or more grateful for the relationships built along the way. It is a privilege to keep walking alongside these communities, and we are genuinely excited to see where this work leads next.