Dallas Inter-Tribal Center / Urban Inter-Tribal Center of Texas (DIC/UICT) Logo

Urban Inter-Tribal Center of Texas

This nonprofit American Indian corporation works to improve the health and socioeconomic status of Indians who live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Following enactment of the Indian Relocation Act in 1953, more than 20,000 Indians representing 90 tribes had moved from across the country to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area by 1970. Lacking the supportive and nurturing circle of tribal elders and the extended family they had previously known, the transition for them in their new environment was jolting. They often encountered prejudice, racism, and negative stereotyping, which made it difficult for them to support themselves, and to receive adequate housing and health care. In 1971, a group of concerned American Indians and organizations, including the Trinity Mission, the Dallas Indian United Methodist Church, the Singleton Baptist Church, and the Open Door Bible Church, supported a proposal to establish a center that could provide basic outpatient health care for Indians. The new center was located in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas, the home of the largest number of American Indians.

Staffed by volunteer physicians, nurses and clerks, the Dallas Inter-Tribal Center, also known as the Urban Inter-Tribal Center of Texas, opened in 1971, offering medical services twice a week. In 1974, the center received its first funding through the Indian Health Services (IHS), and expanded services to begin a job development and training program under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. As the center has received more funding, it has increased its hours, hired a full time staff, and added substance abuse services. By 1984, IHS ranked the center number 2 out of 37 urban programs, and number 1 for urban Indian programs delivering direct health care onsite. During the 1980s, the Bureau of Indian Affairs awarded the center with a grant to provide legal and social services to Indian children, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded funding to begin emergency aid assistance. In the 1990s, mental health services and an immunization program were added to the center's mandate, and a partnership with both the private and public sectors resulted in a center computer training program for Indians. The center has provided a beacon of hope to thousands of Indian families over the years, and is dedicated to continuing its work in the Indian community.

Documentation includes a report and brochure.

Originally submitted by: Martin Frost, Representative (24th District).

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