Mental Health Connection (MHC) of Tarrant County is raising the bar for mental health training and professional development with the launch of the Mind Core Knowledge Center—a bold, collaborative hub built to expand, equip, and energize Tarrant County’s mental health workforce.
This groundbreaking initiative, funded by a generous grant from the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, is a cornerstone of MHC’s strategic plan to tackle three critical challenges in the mental health workforce field: retention, recruitment, and ongoing professional growth.
MHC executive director Christina Judge states, “With cutting-edge technology and the collaborative spirit of Mental Health Connection, our membership is redefining what professional development looks like in mental health care. We are grateful to the Sid W. Richardson Foundation for their support of this visionary project”
At the heart of the Mind Core Knowledge Center is a custom-built Learning Management System (LMS) developed by Fort Worth-based tech firm Sigmategy, Inc. This state-of-the-art platform centralizes access to high-quality training, professional certifications, and shared learning resources, including:
· Collaborative Training Hub
· Internal skill-building courses
· On-demand video library
· Mental Health Leadership Certificate Program
In partnership with MHC member agencies, the platform offers a robust catalog of trainings across eight specialized categories—available online, self-paced, and in-person—designed for scalability, automation, and cost efficiency.
“This is more than a training tool—it’s a movement to ensure that our members in the mental health workforce serving our community have the skills, support, and the connections they need to thrive,” says MHC board chair Dr. Ashley Barnes, CEO of Lena Pope.
Currently available to MHC’s member organizations, the Mind Core Knowledge Center is being considered for expansion into other mental health communities, creating both an impactful service and a sustainable revenue stream for the future.
About Mental Health Connection
Born out of tragedy, Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County was formed after the 1999 Wedgwood Baptist Church shootings by a man with untreated mental illness. The heartbreaking events of that day left seven dead, four of whom were children. Former Fort Worth Mayor Kenneth Barr turned to mental experts and advocates in Tarrant County to come together to form a grass roots collaborative of mental health agencies and providers with the purpose of improving community access to mental health services. A member dues model was introduced early on using a sliding scale depending on an agency’s operating budget.
Twenty-six years later, Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County is now a coalition of more than 70 organizations and licensed therapists united in their mission to strengthen the local mental health system through collaboration, advocacy, and professional development.
