Published: 10-15-08
Congressman Pete Sessions Joins Senator Cornyn Mayor Leppert Local Leaders for Announcement
Dallas Texas – U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) today joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert Dallas ISD Trustee Dr. Edwin Flores and Phoenix House Executive Vice President Monty Mueller for the Grand Opening announcement of the Phoenix House after-school program Intervention Moves Parents and Children Together (IMPACT) for at-risk youth.
“Phoenix House serves as a pillar of hope in the North Texas community as a leading-edge substance abuse treatment and prevention organization and I am proud to be a strong supporter of their efforts” said Sessions. “By taking their highly successful treatment programs and developing a vibrant after-school prevention program Phoenix House IMPACT will provide our community with a safe and structured after-school alternative for high-risk teens.”
Designed with a comprehensive approach for intervention and prevention IMPACT provides homework assistance mentorship recovery support outpatient counseling developmental assets and family skills recreation incentives transportation and case management. This innovative program also includes effective community partnerships with local organizations like Big Brothers-Big Sisters. Nearly 30 students with Phoenix House programs were present for the IMPACT program launch announcement which took place at the Walnut Hill Recreation Center in Dallas this afternoon.
Since 2005 Dallas has been “ground zero” for adolescent homemade drugs such as “cheese” heroin that have endangered the lives of children and teens. Children as young as 14 have died from “cheese” which has been acquired in cafeterias or on a student’s way home from school. These tragedies underscore the critical need for substance abuse prevention and intervention after-school programs in North Texas.
In Congress Sessions has helped secured over $650000 in federal appropriations funding for Phoenix House Dallas substance abuse treatment programs with the assistance of Senator John Cornyn Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Dallas) and Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Austin). This federal funding also helped make the Phoenix House Dallas IMPACT program possible.
“Phoenix House IMPACT will give North Texas additional tools to effectively fight against substance abuse epidemics and save lives in our community. I look forward to supporting Phoenix House in the future as they empower teens and adults to overcome addition and lead dynamic accomplished lives” Sessions concluded.
Phoenix House is the nation’s leading nonprofit provider of substance abuse treatment and prevention services currently operating nearly 100 programs in nine states – including programs in Dallas Texas. Each day over 7000 adolescents and adults are treated at residential centers for adults at residential Phoenix Academies (treatment and schooling for teenagers) and through outpatient after school and day programs. For more information about Phoenix House visit www.phoenixhouse.org.
