About Us

"BASES is dedicated to helping people achieve long-term recovery through our various programs and services. We specialize in treating substance use disorders, mental health, and trauma."

Our Journey from the Beginning

BASES (Bay Area Substance Education Services), co-founded by Scott and Celia Kelly in 1993, originally began as a home-based operation addressing adolescent substance abuse. As they expanded to meet the needs of the community, the Teen Center was formed in 1995, providing a safe after-school space to tackle the rising concern of substance abuse among young people.

In 1997, services were extended to the Recovery High program, providing substance abuse education and counseling. Although their primary focus was adolescent treatment until 2015, BASES also offered services for adults and provided resources in local schools, jails, and through community outreach.

In 2015, after the Recovery High program ended, the focus transitioned to adults. Recognizing the intricate connection between substance abuse, mental health, and trauma, their expertise was expanded to address these co-occurring issues. When the COVID pandemic hit, swift adaptation was necessary and telehealth services were initiated, allowing for the expansion of and greater access to services. This commitment to evolving with the times and meeting changing needs is what led us to create our new domain, BASESmi.org.

What’s Coming Next

BASES has always been personal and family-oriented for Scott and Celia. Collectively, they have over 80 years of sobriety. They are living proof that recovery can have a meaningful and lasting impact on a family system. Everyone always talks about addiction and mental health being prevalent in their family tree, but the Kelly's strive to also teach that recovery can run in families, too.

As Scott and Celia plan to consider retirement of some sort by 2035, they plan to pass the torch to their daughter, Leah, who has worked for BASES for many years and been along for the ride since the beginning. During the next few years, Leah will take on more director duties. BASES will continue to strive to meet the needs of the community and provide quality services that people have come to know and expect.

Substance use disorders are very treatable. Recovery is contagious and happens in families and communities. Recovery from mental health and trauma happens with safe, stable, and nurturing people and places.