Our History
Youth180 has a 38-year history of providing quality programs to serve the needs of vulnerable youth and their families in our community. In 1983, a number of motivated Dallas civic leaders gathered at a symposium, "The Dallas Challenge," to look at the rising tide of adolescent drug and alcohol use. A task force was formed and quickly realized that the critical need was for methods of identifying and intervening in adolescent substance use as soon as possible. This task force incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency in July of 1984 as Dallas Challenge, Inc.
After serving faithfully for more than 30 years, Dallas Challenge changed its name to Youth180 in 2017 to better reflect its mission. Youth180 focuses on a holistic approach to treating our young people and their families, identifying any trauma or underlying issues that led to the use of substances, helping them make a "180" turn in their lives. We are one of the few licensed adolescent outpatient treatment centers in Dallas providing trauma-responsive counseling, prevention, intervention and education services.
Today
Youth180’s continuum of care is structured around three core programs:
Prevention: We deliver evidence-based substance use prevention (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and controlled substances) education in schools and community settings, reaching thousands of youth annually. Our curriculum builds resilience, strengthens decision-making skills, and reduces risk behaviors.
Intervention: Our early intervention services support youth experimenting with substances or showing early signs of mental health distress. Through short-term group sessions and family engagement, we provide education, coping tools, and referrals to more intensive care when needed.
Clinical Services: Our outpatient behavioral health program offers individual, group, and family therapy, as well as psychiatric evaluations and medication management. All services are provided at no cost and are designed to be accessible, culturally responsive, and family-centered.
In 2024, Youth180 reached over 30,000 youth through prevention and intervention education, and served more than 130 youth through our clinical program. As mental health needs continue to grow—particularly among adolescents—Youth180 remains one of the few organizations in North Texas that offers no-cost, youth-specific mental health and substance use treatment. Our holistic approach is built on trust, cultural competency, and community collaboration. We are proud to partner with schools, healthcare providers, juvenile justice systems, and other nonprofits to create a coordinated network of support for youth and families. Through this work, we aim to break cycles of trauma, reduce health disparities, and create lasting, positive change for the next generation.
Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Youth180 prides itself on serving the needs of vulnerable youth and their families regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or financial status. Interwoven into the foundational values of Youth180 is equity which we carry with us into the community.
Youth 180 is committed to racial equity both internally through our work environment, and externally through our services and programs as well as in our hiring practices, policies, and procedures. We're committed to advocating and advancing policies which reflect democratic principles of equity and justice.
We believe bringing together board members, funders, staff, community partners and clients with differing backgrounds and life experiences will enhance our ability to increase opportunities for all community service organizations to succeed.
All Youth180 policies, programs, and activities are administered to identify and avoid discrimination and barriers to access, and to avoid disproportionately high and adverse effects on communities of color.
