BASE is a therapeutic after-school program dedicated to enhancing the social and academic skills of children ages 6-12 with complex emotional and behavioral needs who have been unable to succeed in non-therapeutic community program settings.  The program offers a 10-month after-school program, week-long activities during school break, and a comprehensive summer schedule.  Students are engaged in community activities, group cohesion exercises, and parent-child events.  Therapeutic services focus on behavior management, conflict resolution, anger management techniques, and social skills enhancement.  Children typically attend the program for 9 to 15 months, based on the unique needs of each individual student.

The goal of BASE is to allow students to gain essential skills necessary to graduate to a less restrictive after-school program.  These goals are met through positive reinforcement, individual learning experiences, and group work.  Families are the leaders in brainstorming, designing, and supporting treatment goals.  BASE facilitates quarterly review meetings with families and their community providers to review students’ progress toward goals and to plan next steps for the students.  Transition from the program occurs when the family, its support team, and program staff have determined that the established goals have been met.  The student is then transitioned into a carefully selected community program that is less restrictive and best fits his/her needs.