
Born out of tragedy, Mental Health Connection builds on 25-year legacy in Tarrant County
Executive Director Christina Judge, right, stands alongside the Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County team Aug. 12, 2024. Kim Brennan, left, serves as strategic initiatives director; Chasity Warren, center, serves as office and communications manager. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report)
” data-medium-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DSC09278-3-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DSC09278-3-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button”>When Christina Judge became executive director of Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County in late 2023, she knew she had big shoes to fill. She was taking the lead of an important legacy in the region, she said. Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County is an organization made up of nearly 60 members that collaborate to develop health services and address emerging needs in the Fort Worth area. Judge is embracing change as the nonprofit’s new leader. At the same time, she believes it’s important to reflect on those who came before her, especially as Mental Health Connection prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary Sept. 26 at ACH Child and Family Services in Fort Worth. “(Mental Health Connection) started off as a little tiny fish in a huge pond, and we have really elevated our presence exponentially in the community,” she said. “Now, we’re working on how to grow.”Members of Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County pose for a photo at the Lena Pope Early Learning Center at 3200 Sanguinet St. in Fort Worth Aug. 12, 2024. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report)Unity after tragedyThe organization’s roots go back to Sept. 15, 1999. Former Fort Worth Mayor Kenneth Barr was in Toluca, Mexico, when he received an unexpected evening call from his wife. She told Barr a gunman, Larry Gene Ashbrook, had opened fire inside Fort Worth’s Wedgwood Baptist Church, fatally shooting seven people and wounding seven others before ending his own life.Barr was in shock. “It became very real to me,” he said. Barr planned a quick return to the city and knew he had a responsibility to unite Fort Worth following the shooting. “We are grieving as a city, indeed as a state and as a nation. But we cannot — we will not — let one senseless act of violence define who we are as a city,” Barr said at a memorial at Texas Christian University.
Reports quickly began to circulate that Ashbrook had been living with an untreated mental illness. Barr turned to local mental health providers to discuss what could be done to prevent such an event from happening again. The initial meeting consisted of officials from Tarrant County, the city of Fort Worth, Fort Worth ISD, Cook Children’s Medical Center, My Health My Resources of Tarrant County, Lena Pope, and the Child Study Center. The organizations realized there were a plethora of mental health services, but they weren’t coordinated, Barr said. “Out of that discussion we realized mental health services in Fort Worth, Tarrant County and Texas were inadequate, grossly inadequate,” he said. By October 1999, leaders had officially launched Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County. As members, organizations and providers are able to refer residents to an array of resources that match their needs. “Not every agency needs to be an expert in everything, so (Mental Health Connection) gave the agencies an opportunity to decide where their niche was and where to send (patients) if it was out of their capabilities,” said Patsy Thomas, who served as president of Mental Health Connection from December 2001 to September 2019.Barr is often credited with the creation of Mental Health Connection, but he’s reluctant to accept the praise without flagging the providers that were instrumental in its formation.“In some ways, it’s a little embarrassing to me that I’ve gotten as much credit for starting it, because there were people at these organizations that really played an important role in putting this together,” he said. During the first several years, the organization focused on getting as many community and financial resources involved in the network as possible, said Thomas. “I had a strong belief that everyone had something to contribute, whether they were the executive of an agency or boots on the ground,” she said. “I really wanted to help figure out ways to build the capacity of the (mental health) workforce.” Mental Health Connection then worked to establish task forces, conferences and mental health training to ensure members were providing the best care possible. From 2007 to 2011, the organization held its Bridging the Gap Symposium, which focused on mental health treatments for children and adolescents with an emphasis on research, policy and practice.“(Mental Health Connection) has given people permission to talk about mental health,” Thomas said. “It’s helped open the conversation, and there’s certainly still a lot of stigma, but I think we made a huge difference.” What’s next?As Barr and Thomas reflect on a quarter-century of Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County, they’re both proud of the local accomplishments. But they know there’s more work that needs to be done on the state level. “Policy was the biggest barrier, and I think it still remains the biggest barrier to accessing all health care, but particularly mental health,” said Thomas. During the 88th Texas legislative session last year, lawmakers approved a record $11.68 billion funding for behavioral health, a 30% increase from the previous session, according to The University of Texas System. The decision comes as demand for mental health services continues to grow amid the state’s booming population. In 2022, Texas ranked last when it came to access to mental health care, according to the advocacy group Mental Health America.“(Mental health) has not been a priority in Austin, there’s just a lack of concern,” Barr said. “There’s work being done, but it just scratches the surface. Mental health challenges are not going to go away. We just gotta keep working to make sure we get the services that are needed.” In recent months, Judge and her team have worked to implement the first phase of a five-year strategic plan aimed at developing a collaborative workforce. The Mental Health Workforce Initiative will create several member agency trainings in an effort to advance and increase professional opportunities. Other components will include a mental health leadership certificate, formation of groups to provide continued support to mental health providers, and student internship opportunities with member organizations. “We’re addressing one big challenge with this workforce development to make sure that Fort Worth students have opportunities to go into the mental health field and stay in the field,” Judge said. “We want to make sure they have and continue to have the skills and tools to be successful.” Judge has other long-term goals in mind for Mental Health Connection. But, for now, she’s taking it one step at a time. David Moreno is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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