In Episode 83, hosts Houston Blackwood and Matt Heaton talk with Perry Goins, Staff Development Manager with the Alabama Department of Mental Health, about how Alabama is strengthening and preparing its mental health workforce through modern training and statewide partnerships. Perry highlights how the department is using the Skills for Success Mental Health Worker course offered through Shelton State Community College, a hybrid training model that blends online modules with real-world scenarios. This course has improved retention, strengthened morale, and created a consistent skill set for new employees entering Alabama’s mental health facilities.The episode also looks ahead at how technology, early career exposure, and continued innovation will help prepare the next generation of mental health professionals across Alabama.