Palmer Drug Abuse Program

115 N 9th St McAllen Texas 78501

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(956) 687-7714

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In the spring of 1971, Father Charles Wyatt-Brown, the rector of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas began holding meetings in his church to help a group of young people with alcohol and other substance abuse problems. The meetings followed a twelve-step program similar to that of Alcoholics Anonymous.

One of the early attendees of the meetings at the church was Bob, a 28 year-old alcoholic and heroin addict who had recently been released from prison. Although like many addicts, Bob was reluctant at first to fully embrace recovery, he eventually got sober and stayed sober with the help and support of his peers under the watchful eye of Father Charlie.

Father Charlie had watched Bob progress in recovery and respond favorably to the love and attention he received from his group of recovering peers. He thought that having someone like Bob talk to teenagers on the brink of making similar mistakes would surely have an impact on some if not most of them. Who better to relate to a teenager than someone who had been there?

Eventually, Father Charlie offered Bob the job of janitor at Palmer Church. He told him to talk to the teenagers who came around the church and tell them about himself. Bob began to gather a regular group who came around to visit with him. By July of 1971, Father Charlie received community support to pay Bob to be a “youth counselor.” A couple of days later, with six teenagers between the ages of 13 to 16 present, Bob and Father Charlie called the first meeting of the Palmer Drug Abuse Program.

The original group of teenagers discovered that if they loved, accepted and supported one another, they could stop using drugs and alcohol and stay that way. They also learned that through loving and helping each other, they began to feel good about themselves. They also discovered the strength and unity and power that comes from the “love of the group.” These principles of love and understanding remain the foundation of PDAP 30 plus years later! And So it Grows!

In September of 1988, a group of concerned citizens in Hidalgo County formed Palmer Drug Abuse Program –McAllen, Inc. PDAP-McAllen celebrated 20 years of existence in 2008. Today, PDAP continues to be a premier organization in helping youth, adults and their families overcome the effects of alcohol and drug abuse. Since opening its doors in 1988, McAllen PDAP has helped over 20,000 individuals.

A symbol of success…

There are two primary symbols PDAP uses to acknowledge sobriety and family involvement. Teenagers and adults involved in the PDAP recovery groups receive a “Monkey Fist” for 30 days of continuous sobriety. Parents receive the “Parents Heart” for participation in PDAP family group for 30 days.

The “Monkey Fist” is a mariner’s knot used by ships to help them dock. A baseball sized knot with lines attached is thrown from the ship to the dock-the first contact the ship has with land. The crew on shore catches the knot, secures the line to the dock and pulls the ship to shore. At PDAP we have adopted this as a symbol representing our sobriety as we are being pulled in from the sea of drugs and alcohol. The fist symbolizes first contact to solid ground, with the group symbolizing the crew that pulls the newcomer safely to shore. Traditionally, the small leather monkey fist is suspended on a leather thong around the PDAPer’s neck. This symbol also serves as the PDAP logo.

The Johnson Institute reports that if a family is involved in a recovery program then the users have an 80% higher chance of success than those who do not have family involved. In the PDAP Family Group the symbol for program participation is the Parent’s Heart. The heart is made from carved wood, and is also suspended on a leather thong. Embossed on the heart is a Monkey Fist symbolizing the drug abuser who lives in each PDAP parents heart.

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