The Kenneth Barr Award was established by the Mental Health Connection in 2004 to recognize exemplary collaborative efforts and extraordinary contributions to improving the mental health system in Tarrant County. The Honorable Kenneth Barr, mayor of the City of Fort Worth from 1996 to 2003, provided leadership, vision and energy to Mental Health Connection at a critical time in its development. Mayor Barr’s leadership galvanized the alliance, providing the impetus for influencing change and garnering significant resources to address a serious community issue. He received the first Kenneth Barr award in 2004.

2008 Recipients: City of Fort Worth and Ted Blevins For the first time, Mental Health Connection presented two Kenneth Barr Awards in 2008. One went to the City of Fort Worth for its work in administering Community Solutions, the cooperative agreement with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. From the time the agreement began in 2002, The City of Fort Worth managed its administration and provided leadership in ensuring that Community Solutions reached its goal. Mental Health Connection presented a Kenneth Barr Award to Ted Blevins on his retirement at the end of 2008 as executive director of Lena Pope Home. Ted was the founding co-chair of Mental Health Connection, and had worked tirelessly on behalf of the organization and its principles for many years.   2007 Recipient: Fort Worth Museum of Science and History The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History received the second Kenneth Barr Award in 2007. The Museum served as a key community partner with Mental Health Connection by hosting "Fine Line: Mental Health/Mental Illness." The Museum offered space for the exhibit at no charge and waived its usual exhibit fee for visitors, making the exhibit accessible to a broad audience. In addition, the Museum's expert staff was invaluable in designing the show, handling many of the logistics and supporting the marketing efforts. Since the mid 1980s, the Museum annually has welcomed more than 800,000 visitors, making it one of the most popular cultural attractions in North Texas. 2004 Recipient: Fort Worth Independent School District      At the same time Kenneth Barr received the first award, Mental Health Connection presented one to the Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD). The District received the recognition for its innovation and vision as demonstrated in the creation of Family Resource Centers. These Centers, developed in partnership with numerous community mental health care organizations, are based on FWISD campuses. They help to improve learning and academic achievement by addressing the behavioral health needs of FWISD students and their families. The Family Resource Centers support FWISD’s mission of educational excellence.