Recovery Resource Council is celebrating 75 years of service to North Texas in 2021 as the gateway to health and wellness for individuals and families seeking help with substance use disorders and mental health issues.
Started in 1946 by members of Alcoholics Anonymous in Tarrant County to provide a link to State-funded treatment services for youth and adults, the Council’s footprint has grown to 20 North Texas counties and a budget of more than $8 million. As a licensed Texas outpatient substance abuse treatment site and joint commission accredited agency, they embrace a continuum of care that includes prevention, education, counseling, treatment, and support services rooted in the principles of trauma-informed care and designed to identify and build upon the strengths and resilience of each individual.
In the later part of 2018, Recovery Resource Council merged with the Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. As a result of the merger, Recovery Resource Council has become North Texas’ largest behavioral health, substance misuse intervention and prevention non- profit organization, with office locations in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Denton. The merger leveraged shared programs, increased capacity, strengthened operations, and improved access to services for thousands of children, youth, and adults in North Texas.
During the 2019-2020 school year, the pandemic closed schools and other avenues for children to access support services. The Council’s Prevention Program quickly trained and transitioned the staff to remote services. As schools began to reopen, they were able to provide in-person and virtual services in partnership with seven community sites and 16 school districts for 7,238 children and youth in North Texas. The Program used evidence-based, age specific curricula focused on teaching children ages 5-17 how to build self- esteem and make healthy choices. The impact of these services was impressive as 97% of the children that completed the program reported a reduction in substance use and violence, improved decision making, and increased perception of harm related to risky behaviors.
In 2020, using a combination of virtual and in-person services, the Council has maintained its level of vital and essential services to our community. The Clinical and Recovery Services Program provided comprehensive mental health and substance misuse services designed to serve the unique needs of 2,605 individuals. Staffed by a multidisciplinary team of highly trained professionals, the program provided outreach, screening, and referral to treatment; outpatient treatment, and counseling services that were age and gender appropriate, culturally diverse, responsive to mental and behavioral health needs, trauma, family dynamics, and other factors impacting recovery.
The Special Populations Program provided outreach, emergency lodging, employment assistance, healthcare navigation services, rental assistance, and permanent supportive housing with intensive case management for 300 chronically homeless individuals with co-occurring disorders or individuals who were at risk of losing their housing. Enduring Families, a no cost comprehensive mental health program, provided services to 551 veterans and their family members. Visit recoverycouncil.org to learn more.