The ninties were a decade of change. A few years after opening ACTC Martial Arts, Helaney found that he simply had too many students. Following in the footsteps of several mentors, the school became an official 501 C (7) non-profit sports organization at its own location. It offered martial arts instruction on a sliding scale (often free) to anyone who wanted to learn.  Wanting to do more, Helaney started the KDOA program through the police department and the local school district. The program combined drug education and martial arts to help disadvantaged and at risk youth build assets that would help them throughout their lives. KDOA quickly expanded to two different school districts and a parochial school district. To keep the program going Helaney wrote grants and began promoting martial arts tournaments as fundraisers. It was through these tournaments that he became an Ohio State and National Series promoter with the Professional Karate Commission. 

Helaney continued his own studies of the martial arts under a number of different instructors and organizations in the late ninties and early part of the millenium. During his time as the Ohio State Director for ITU, Helaney became close friends his Illinois counter-part Master Dan Valin. Sharing a skewed sense of humor and a strong devotion to their students, the men became friends.  They continue to work on projects together to this day.

Helaney has received numerous inductions into different martial arts halls of fame largely for his work with the KDOA program. In 2003, Master Helaney was invited to attend the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame as a special invited guest. It was here, that he received the unexpected honor of being granted his 8^th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwon-Do from the WMAHOF Grandmasters Council. After receiving permission from his instructor at the time, Helaney accepted this honor. 

He has, also, received two separate citations from the Ohio House of Representatives for the KDOA program, the Ohio Department of Education Partnering in Progress award, the USKF/USJJF Sadaki Nakabayashi Award for Community Service, and was appointed to the International Advisory Committee of the Police Self-Defense Instructors Institute.

In 2005, upon the recommendations of his doctors Helaney finally retired from law enforcement due to work related injuries. Today Michele and Jeff Helaney run Omaha Blue Waves Martial Arts through the Armbrust YMCA. Master Helaney acts as the martial arts director in residence, overseeing the instructional staff. He currently holds an 8th Dan in TaeKwon-Do, a 5th Dan in American Free Style, a 2nd Dan in Hapkido, and a 2nd Level Black Sash in Poekelon. Master Helaney, also, holds several degrees and certifications in Oriental Health. He stays active in the martial arts by writing articles, promoting events, and working on specialized projects.

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