New partnership funding five Rapid Responder teams

By Kimber Westphall

Homeward Bound Inc., a nonprofit behavioral health provider serving North Texas and far West Texas, announced a three-year, $5.9 million partnership with QuikTrip to expand treatment and recovery services for individuals experiencing substance use disorder, mental illness and related crises. The nonprofit has a massive footprint in North Texas, serving more than 250,000 individuals since its inception, helping them achieve stability, independence and long-term recovery through comprehensive behavioral health care.

“For more than 40 years, clients have come to us, so desperate for treatment that they line up before dawn, sometimes sleeping on the porch so they could be first in line. Now we’re able to go to them,” said Douglas W. Denton, Homeward Bound’s founder and executive director. ”With QT’s help, we’re funding five Rapid Responder teams of mental health specialists who travel through Dallas and eastern Tarrant County seven days a week to assist people experiencing homelessness, mental health crises, or behavioral health emergencies. These are often people asking citizens for money — we’re offering the kind of sustained help they really need.”

Since August 2024, when outreach began, Rapid Responders have had 2,700 encounters with neighbors in need seeking help and have provided 6,400 services. Their services have diverted 600 emergency 911 calls. 

“Homeward Bound has a proven track record of helping people overcome significant challenges and rebuild their lives,” said QuikTrip’s Dallas Community Affairs Coordinator James Lollis. “We are proud to support their work and partner with an organization that shares our commitment to improving health, safety and opportunity in the communities we serve.”

Rapid Responders have admitted more than 200 people to treatment at Homeward Bound. Founded in 1980, Homeward Bound is one of the largest and longest-serving nonprofit treatment providers in Texas and delivers care to individuals regardless of their ability to pay. Homeward Bound serves clients across 19 counties in North Texas and six counties in Far West Texas. It’s Dallas, operations include detoxification and residential treatment, 24-hour stabilization services, HIV-specific residential programming, outpatient counseling and recovery support. Crisis psychiatric care and outpatient mental health support are also essential parts of Homeward Bound’s continuum of care. The organization partners with courts, law enforcement, hospitals, shelters, and other community agencies to connect people with treatment rather than incarceration when appropriate.

“QuikTrip recognized our experience and our leadership in addressing the behavioral health challenges that affect communities across Dallas and North Texas and is helping us amplify and mobilize our effort,” said Denton.

Lollis said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to improving safety, health and long-term outcomes for individuals and families in the region. He noted that the collaboration also aligns with QuikTrip’s corporate values of investing in community health, safety and long-term stability.

“QuikTrip approached us because of the results they have seen and because of Homeward Bound’s long-standing role in the behavioral health landscape,” Denton said. “This investment allows us to reach more people and strengthen programs that help reduce recidivism, improve public health and support sustained recovery.”

Homeward Bound accepts Medicaid and private insurance and offers sliding-scale assistance to uninsured clients. More information about Homeward Bound’s services is available at homewardboundinc.org.