History of Dallas Challenge

In March of 1984, Dallas Challenge was incorporated following the quick thinking and fast action of task force members who gathered following a symposium entitled "The Dallas Challenge." The symposium, organized and attended by a number of concerned Dallas civic leaders, was developed to examine the rising tide of adolescent substance abuse in the Metroplex and later led to the incorporation of Dallas Challenge as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. Through efforts to address the behavior of at-risk youth, it was discovered that such substance abuse was closely related to several other issues of concern including domestic violence, community dysfunction, school truancy and other destructive behaviors. This led to the further development of Dallas Challenge programs and services to help youth stay in school, off drugs and alcohol, and out of the criminal justice system.

Since 1984, Dallas Challenge has been a leading provider of prevention, education, intervention and outpatient treatment services to more than 120,000 Dallas-area youth and their families. In addition to the current programs offered, Dallas Challenge has been instrumental in developing other community services that now operate as independent nonprofit organizations or as components of larger organizations. These spin-off programs include:

• PASS Program (1989) incorporated into Dallas Public Schools
• Drug/Alcohol Counselor Traning Program (1989) operated by the University of Texas at Arlington School of Continuing Education
• Collin County Substance Abuse Program (1991) operated by the Collin County Health Department
• Plano First Offender's Program (1993) operating as Plano Youth Interventions
• East Dallas Counseling Center (1993) operating independently
• Our Brother's Keeper Treatment Program (1993) operating independently
• Behavioral Health Monitor (1997) sold to Plan 21

Approaching 25 years of service, Dallas Challenge continues the tradition of providing quality prevention, education, intervention and treatment programs to help serve youth in need.

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