YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas Mental Wellness Collective Unlocks New Path To Youth Support

DALLAS, TEXAS (October 30, 2025) The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas today announced empirical data that proves its youth mental health resiliency program, "YES, YOU CAN!" helps teens. The pilot program is an initiative of the Y, Metrocare Services, Momentous Institute, Grant Halliburton Foundation and Center for BrainHealth®, part of The University of Texas at Dallas and is measurable, replicable and scalable. 

“YES YOU CAN!” is one of the components of the Y’s ongoing efforts to address the youth mental health crisis and strengthen the resiliency of families. The goal is to help youth become more resilient, building on the understanding that the brain has the ability to change and adapt.  

The program launched this past summer to more than 600 campers, parents and counselors at select Y programs. Experts focused on improving existing training platforms and added interventions from partner organizations in a cohesive approach to support comprehensive care. 

The first results of the program reveal: 

• 92% of the time counselors reported that access to mental wellness content helped camper behavior
• 92% of teens reported that the counselors created an environment where they felt safe to express their feelings
• 89% of teens said they learned something useful about mental wellness
• 78% of teens said they try to use the practices they learned from experts about mental wellness.

“YES YOU CAN!" is just the first step. We’re strategically building a system where children and teens can develop inner confidence and resiliency,” said Curt Hazelbaker, President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. “By uniting our expertise, we’re paving a new path and setting a new standard of what holistic support looks like. There are no temporary fixes, this is an investment in the future of our youth.”   

The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas serves more than 81,000 children annually in programs from afterschool care, youth sports, camps and preschool. It is a priority of the Y and the collective that youth and staff are equipped with evidence-based tools and practices that can improve their health.  

More than 1 in 7 U.S. youth ages 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “YES YOU CAN!” is a unique, replicable model that proves positive results, which can be used for broader community impact. 

The program included: 

• Specialized counselor training to address the needs of campers more effectively.
• Improved camper programming to help youth access to robust mental health programming designed to promote well-being
• Access to training and tools for parents to support their children's mental health long after camp concludes
• Professional support from Metrocare's licensed mental health professionals on-site and virtually.

This project is made possible partly through support from Lyda Hill Philanthropies, the Hersh Foundation/Ken Hersh and Regen Horchow, The Bette Rathjen Foundation for Emotional Health. 

The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas offers a variety of enriching day camps and overnight camps for kids of all ages. To learn more about Y camps, visit ymcadallas.org/summercamps. 

About The YMCA Of Metropolitan Dallas 
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas serves thousands of men, women and children each year, regardless of age, income or background. Anchored in 18 North Texas communities, the Dallas Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver lasting personal and social change. The Y ensures all people have access to the essentials needed to become thriving members of the community. Daily, the Y bridges and fills individual and community needs as a catalyst for impactful change. The YMCA makes accessible the support and opportunities that empower people and communities to learn, grow and thrive, with three areas of focus: Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility. To learn more or get involved in improving our local communities, have opportunities to make an impact and support your neighbors, please visit us at www.ymcadallas.org.  

About Metrocare Services 
Metrocare is the largest provider of mental health, developmental disability and permanent supported housing services in Dallas County serving over 50,000 individuals annually. For over 55 years, Metrocare has provided a broad array of services from mental health care, primary care, services for veterans and their loved ones, accessible pharmacies, homeless outreach, and supportive social services. Metrocare provides specialty mental health services to over 10,000 children and teens and has numerous programs for babies, children and adults with disabilities, including Early Childhood Intervention, Flourishing Families, Supported Employment and two specialty autism clinics in Dallas and DeSoto. In conjunction with clinical care, Metrocare’s Altshuler Center for Education and Research (ACER) is transforming the community mental health landscape of North Texas through workforce development focused on innovative partnerships and exceptional trauma-informed training.

About Center for BrainHealth 
Center for BrainHealth®, part of The University of Texas at Dallas, is a translational research institute committed to enhancing, preserving, and restoring brain health across the lifespan. Major research areas include the use of functional and structural neuroimaging techniques to better understand the neurobiology supporting the continual growth of cognition, well-being and social connections in health and disease. This leading-edge scientific exploration is translated quickly into practical innovations to improve how people think, work and live, empowering people of all ages to thrive and unlock their brain potential. Translational innovations leverage 1) the BrainHealth Index, a proprietary measure that uniquely charts one’s upward (or downward) holistic brain health trajectory whatever their starting level; and 2) Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Tactics (SMART™) brain training, a strategy-based toolkit developed and tested by BrainHealth researchers and other teams over three decades.

About Momentous Institute
Working at the heart of education and mental health, Momentous Institute helps young people and families live happier, healthier lives. Momentous Institute is the first organization to integrate mental health curriculum into elementary schools and the only non-profit with an operating elementary laboratory school in Dallas, Momentous School. Momentous Institute has trained more than 45,000 professionals and implemented mental health-informed education and trauma-informed strategies in 545 classrooms across 28 states and 9 countries. Through a team of bilingual licensed therapists, they provide quality mental health services to 5,500 children and their families each year. For more information about their work and impact, visit https://momentousinstitute.org/. 

About Grant Halliburton Foundation 
Grant Halliburton Foundation was established in 2006 in memory of Grant Halliburton, a Dallas teen who battled depression and bipolar disorder for several years before his suicide death at the age of 19. The Foundation that bears his name works to help prevent suicide by providing education, resources, and support for children, teen, and young adult mental health. Since 2006, Grant Halliburton Foundation has provided mental health education, training, and support to more than 350,000 students, educators, parents, and professionals.