YMCA Youth Program Reports Mental Health Gains
Results from the second year of the "YES YOU CAN!" program show gains in emotional regulation and self-calming among campers in North Texas.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Youth
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The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas shared results from the second year of its "YES YOU CAN!" youth mental health resiliency program at a luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at the Center for BrainHealth. The program reached 1,725 campers at 12 Y camps in summer 2026, up from 600 during the 2025 pilot.
Why it matters
The program gives children and teens practical tools for emotional well-being, and it gives Dallas-area parents training to support their child's mental health at home. Its planned growth reflects a continued regional push to expand youth mental health services outside the classroom.
Surveys of youth and families from the 2026 summer program found 87% of campers were engaged in mental health education and 72% of teens try to use the lessons in daily life. The figures are self-reported, and no independent evaluation or long-term outcome data was released.
The players
YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas
The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas is a major community youth organization in the Dallas area that runs camps and afterschool programs serving children and families.
Project Thrive
Project Thrive is a North Texas collective of youth mental health advocates that works to coordinate and expand youth mental health programming across the region.
The UTD Center for BrainHealth
The UTD Center for BrainHealth is a research center at the University of Texas at Dallas that studies brain health and cognitive resilience.
The details
The program covers emotion regulation, stress and anxiety management, communication, and healthy relationships, and it gives parents training and resources to support their child's mental health. Project Thrive, a North Texas collective that includes the YMCA, the Grant Halliburton Foundation, Metrocare Services, Momentous Institute, and The UTD Center for BrainHealth, runs the initiative.
Timeline
Summer 2025: 600-camper pilot of the program in Dallas-area YMCA camps.
Summer 2026: Program reached 1,725 campers at 12 Y camps.
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026: Results shared at a luncheon at the Center for BrainHealth.
2028: Target to reach 6,000 children and 30 YMCA afterschool sites.
Season Trajectory
The second-year results follow the 2025 pilot and show the "YES YOU CAN!" program scaling from 600 to 1,725 campers, a pattern Project Thrive intends to continue toward its 2028 target. Project Thrive says it is working to solidify a more refined curriculum, train more staff, and streamline messaging as the program grows.
Dallas-area parents can use the program's training and resources to support their child's emotional regulation and stress management at home. Families interested in the program can look for it at participating YMCA camps and afterschool sites as it expands.
The takeaway
Building emotional regulation and communication skills early gives children practical tools they can use in everyday life, and parents can reinforce those skills at home. Families can ask local YMCA sites whether their children's programs include similar mental health education.
What happens next
Project Thrive plans to grow "YES YOU CAN" to 6,000 children and 30 YMCA afterschool sites by 2028.
Further reading
Explore more Youth coverage for context on programs supporting young people in Dallas.
Source note: This article includes information reported by White Rock Lake Weekly.
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