Open Door Center in Las Cruces was started on the grounds of Mesilla Valley Christian Church by a group of parents with disabled children back in 1968. It was a place where adults and children with disabilities could go for help and meet other people with disabilities. Open Door Center was the service provider for disabled residents in Doña Ana County.

The first three years were the biggest for the Open Door Center program. As they grew, clients started receiving services in outreach, summer school, Saturday day camps and parent groups. By 1971, Open Door Center had 36 enrolled clients, a part-time staff and 30 volunteers.

Open Door Center later entered a lease with the City of Las Cruces on a 6,000-foot facility building off of Nevada. With help from the Community Development Block Grant they were able to lease the building for $1 per year for 99 years and by the end of the 1970s, Open Door Center had opened two group homes and its first Early Childhood program.

These same services started being provided in Socorro by the Community Developmental Disabilities Program, which was funded by the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. In 1981, they reached an agreement with the New Mexico Department of Health to offer work activity services to adults in Truth or Consequences and it was then that the name was changed to Socorro/Sierra Learning Services.

By 1982, a merger was accomplished, creating a three-county program under one administration. The name Tresco was adopted in reference to the three counties or “tres condados”: Doña Ana, Sierra and Socorro counties. Today, Tresco provides services to over 1,500 clients with a full staff of over 500 employees.

In Memory of Barbara York, Tresco Valued  Employee.  April 26, 1979–December 23, 2010.

As we look towards the future, we must talk about how we plan to increase our footprint in New Mexico and surrounding areas and have a positive impact on the individuals and families we support.

Just a few facts; did you know that Tresco is one of 18 employers in Doña Ana county with 500+ employees?  Tresco has close to 600! Also, did you know that we screen over 900 kids annually, between birth and 3, for developmental delays at no cost to their family? And, do you know who is the single largest employer of people with all types of disabilities in Southwest New Mexico? That is correct – Tresco! 
The number is approximately 175 people.  And, in 2017 Tresco had a direct impact on our local economy through a 12.7 million dollar payroll.

All of these facts are quite impressive. However, we must never lose sight that we are here for our mission. Supporting people with any type of disability in a job either in the broader community or with our company, screening children for developmental delays and providing them professional quality services at no cost or supporting a person with an intellectual disability in living the life they want in their communities with effective and safe supports.  We see ourselves expanding our mission by setting ambitious goals for community inclusion, employment for people disabilities and engaging our communities more.  We want to be the provider people trust and seek out because we offer the most value.

The next 50 years will bring many challenges to our program and we must anticipate them, prepare for them and deal with them as they come.  Diminishing financial resources, increased regulatory and compliance issues and the pressure of recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce are present now and we as an organization is taking steps now to address the growing concerns. But while these and many other issues are present, one thing is for sure – Tresco has been and will continue to be committed to our mission, day in and
day out!