Expanding Hope Across the Central Valley: How MindCure and MindDivers Are Leading a Mental Health Movement
Redefining Mental Health Care in California's Central Valley Through Compassion and Community-Centered Leadership
In the heart of California’s Central Valley—where rural landscapes meet resilient communities—two sister organizations are redefining what it means to deliver care with purpose. MindCure and MindDivers share one mission: to make mental health accessible, equitable, and deeply human.
Under the leadership of CEO Debra Winegarden and COO Nathan Lacle, these organizations are doing more than providing services—they’re creating a movement built on compassion, accountability, and innovation. Together, they are bringing life-changing behavioral health care to the people and places that have been left out of the conversation for far too long.
As Senior Director of CalAIM Services, I’ve had the privilege of seeing this vision come to life. At MindCure, our nonprofit arm, we operate under California’s CalAIM Enhanced Care Management (ECM) program, walking alongside high-need Medi-Cal members who face complex medical, social, and behavioral challenges. Our care managers don’t just make referrals—they show up. In homes, shelters, hospitals, and even jails, they meet clients where they are, helping them find stability, dignity, and hope.
Our sister organization, MindDivers, expands this mission through a private-practice lens, offering inclusive therapy and psychiatry services to individuals and families across the Valley. With a diverse team of clinicians and bilingual providers, MindDivers ensures therapy is not only accessible, but also culturally responsive and community-centered.
Leadership Rooted in Purpose
What makes both organizations so impactful is the leadership behind them. Debra Winegarden, our CEO, leads with heart and conviction. Her unwavering belief that “mental health care is a right, not a privilege” guides everything we do. Nathan Lacle, our COO, transforms that vision into action—building sustainable systems, expanding partnerships, and strengthening the infrastructure that allows both MindCure and MindDivers to grow without compromising quality.
Their shared leadership has created a culture where staff feel seen, clients feel heard, and communities feel supported. Every decision we make is guided by one question: “How will this help the people we serve?”
Transforming Communities, One Person at a Time
Across Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare, Kern, and Stanislaus Counties, transformation is taking root. Families who once had nowhere to turn are now connected to care. Veterans, youth, and adults struggling with trauma are finding pathways to healing. And through our CalAIM collaborations, we’re partnering with hospitals, schools, and community organizations to ensure every person—regardless of income or background—has access to quality mental health care.
Whether it’s a therapist sitting beside a client in crisis or a care manager delivering food and medication to someone isolated in a rural area, our work is about connection—human to human, heart to heart.
The journey is far from over, but our commitment has never been stronger. Guided by Debra and Nathan, and powered by our incredible teams, MindCure and MindDivers continue to expand mental health access across the Central Valley—one community, one family, and one person at a time.
Because healing is not a privilege—it’s a promise. And together, we’re keeping that promise every single day.
