BasePoint Academy is not just a mental health care provider; it’s a deeply personal and mission-driven organization born from the tragic loss of a beloved family member. The Serpa family—led by CEO Blake Serpa and Chairman Roy Serpa—has channeled their grief and experiences into a company dedicated to providing life-changing psychiatric services to adolescents and young adults battling mental health conditions. This father-son duo’s journey, inspired by their personal loss, has led them to create a groundbreaking model of care that aims to address the critical need for adolescent mental health care.
At the core of BasePoint Academy’s inception is a tragedy that would forever change the Serpa family’s life. Twelve years ago, Blake’s sister, Brittany Serpa, who had struggled with bipolar disorder as a teenager, tragically died by suicide. The heartbreak of her passing prompted Blake and Roy to reevaluate the adolescent mental health care landscape, realizing that the existing options for young people in need were not enough—there was a clear gap in care for adolescents facing severe mental health challenges.
This tragedy, coupled with the Serpas’ collective background in healthcare, set the stage for what would become BasePoint Academy, a company founded on the principles of compassion, care, and the desire to prevent other families from going through the same heart-wrenching experience.
The Birth of BasePoint Academy: A Mission Born from Pain
The loss of Brittany left an indelible mark on the Serpa family. Her long battle with bipolar disorder and her eventual suicide highlighted the shortcomings of the mental health system, particularly for adolescents. When Blake and Roy began discussing ways to address these gaps in care, they realized that they could create something better—something more focused on preventing mental health crises from escalating to the point where a young person might need emergency care or long-term hospitalization.
In 2019, Roy Serpa, a veteran of the healthcare industry with years of experience in health management, teamed up with his son, Blake, to begin building BasePoint Academy. The idea was to create a company that would offer intensive outpatient care for adolescents suffering from mental health disorders. These services, known as Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs) and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs), would provide crucial, structured care outside of a hospital setting, allowing patients to continue living at home while receiving necessary treatment.
Blake and Roy’s goal was clear: prevent the escalation of mental health conditions that could lead to emergency room visits or long-term hospital stays. As Blake Serpa put it, “It’s very challenging to run additional lower levels of care while you’re running a residential or inpatient business. And so what we want to do is build something separate and distinct, that is focused solely on this PHP and IOP environment.”
BasePoint Academy was built with a singular mission in mind: to offer high-quality, age-specific outpatient care for adolescent mental health care needs. What began with just four patients and one staff member has since expanded dramatically. By 2023, BasePoint helped over 1,200 patients—each receiving intensive, personalized care to address mental health issues before they reached a crisis point.
A Unique Approach to Age-Specific Adolescent Mental Health Care
One of the defining features of BasePoint Academy is its focus on age-specific care. While many mental health organizations provide services for individuals of all ages, BasePoint Academy specializes in treating adolescents aged 11 to 18. In 2023, they expanded their services to include young adults up to 28, a growing age group that often struggles to find specialized mental health support.
Blake Serpa explains the significance of this focused approach: “In the mental health industry, there are, at times, jacks of all trades and masters of none. We really wanted to focus on age-specific care.” By narrowing their focus to specific age groups, BasePoint can design treatment plans that are uniquely suited to the developmental stages and challenges of each patient. Adolescents, for example, may have different therapeutic needs compared to adults, and BasePoint’s approach is centered on delivering tailored care that addresses those differences.
This specialized approach has set BasePoint apart from other mental health providers, especially in a space where there are few organizations dedicated to offering age-specific outpatient care for young people. Blake and Roy Serpa recognized that, despite the critical need for such services, many healthcare providers overlook this niche. BasePoint Academy was built to fill that gap and ensure that young patients receive the highest level of care, attention, and resources needed to manage and overcome their mental health challenges.
Intensive Outpatient Programs: A Vital Middle Ground for Adolescent Mental Health Care
BasePoint Academy operates in a crucial space within the mental health care continuum. For patients struggling with significant mental health challenges, the traditional options often fall into two categories: outpatient therapy or residential care. Outpatient therapy, while valuable, typically involves a weekly session, leaving patients with little immediate support for managing crises. On the other hand, residential care is intense and restrictive, requiring patients to leave their homes and communities for long stays in a psychiatric facility.
PHPs and IOPs, the treatment modalities offered by BasePoint, serve as a middle ground between these two extremes. Patients in these programs attend several hours of therapy and medication management several days a week, allowing them to continue living at home and engaging with their communities while receiving intensive care. These programs are designed to stabilize patients who may be on the verge of needing more intensive, residential care, helping them manage their conditions and reduce the risk of crises that could lead to hospitalization.
As BasePoint has grown, so too has the recognition of the value of PHP and IOP programs in the adolescent mental health care space. These programs are increasingly seen as the “next golden egg” for mental health providers because they help patients avoid costly hospital stays and empower them to reintegrate into their communities more smoothly. However, as Blake Serpa pointed out, while the financial benefits are clear, PHPs and IOPs often remain an afterthought for many healthcare payers, particularly when it comes to age-specific care.
Blake explains, “Of all the crisis assessments we do, only 5% go to inpatient or residential, so catching them at even an outpatient level is a total cost of care savings. But providers have got to do a good job communicating the data in the way the payer wants to see it, which is dollars.”
Despite these challenges, BasePoint’s focus on demonstrating the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of its services is beginning to pay off. Insurers such as Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare have recognized the value of BasePoint’s treatment approach, providing the company with critical support. However, BasePoint remains selective, choosing not to accept Medicare or Medicaid for the time being, instead focusing on building a strong private payer model that allows them to maintain their independence and flexibility as a family-run business.
Moving Forward: Expansion, Case Management, and Texas’ Mental Health Future
Looking to the future, Blake Serpa and the BasePoint team have ambitious plans. One of their top priorities is to continue expanding their case management team to provide long-term support for patients. Currently, BasePoint’s case managers stay connected to patients for up to two years following their completion of PHP or IOP programs, offering guidance as they reintegrate into their communities and preventing relapses. By staying involved in a patient’s life after treatment, BasePoint aims to provide the necessary ongoing support to ensure sustained recovery.
Beyond expansion, one of Blake’s most ambitious long-term goals is to improve Texas’ mental health care system. The state is currently ranked last in the nation in terms of access to adolescent mental health care, but Blake’s vision is to change that. By 2030, he aims to help Texas move from “dead last” in mental health access to one of the top five states in the nation. This is not just a goal—it’s a rallying cry that fuels the entire team at BasePoint Academy.
As Blake Serpa passionately shared, “This mission is something we rally around as a team. It’s something we wake up every day to work toward—to improve children’s mental health care in Texas and make a difference on a much larger scale.”
A Legacy of Change in Adolescent Mental Health Care
BasePoint Academy is much more than a mental health service provider—it’s a legacy of compassion, resilience, and hope. The Serpa family’s journey, from personal tragedy to creating a solution that helps thousands of young people, serves as an inspiration to others in the healthcare field. With their dedication to providing age-specific care and outpatient therapy, BasePoint Academy has become a beacon of hope for young people and families struggling with mental health challenges.
As BasePoint continues to grow, its impact on the adolescent mental health care landscape is undeniable. The Serpas’ story is a testament to the power of turning tragedy into positive change, and their vision for the future holds promise not only for Texas but for the entire mental health care industry. With a steadfast commitment to improving adolescent mental health care for young people, BasePoint Academy is paving the way for a brighter, healthier future for generations to come.
