Founders Biography

Kelly Bradford Staten

MSW and PhD Candidate

Kelly is a disable veteran who’s life experiences lead him to a passion for helping others with substance abuse challengers.

His own struggles with substance abuse began at age18 after joining the Army in the Vietnam era. His active addiction lasted for 25 years from 1971 to 1996. During that time he become unemployed, homeless, suffered with mental health issues, and loss ties from family and friends.  During the process of his recovery Kelly returned to school and became a volunteer in the program that had assisted him through his recovery process. He later became employed by the same organization counseling and assisting other homeless veterans with their recovery.

Kelly’s accomplishments include graduation from Atlantic Community College, Pomona NJ in 1976. He relocated to Baltimore Maryland where he completed studies at Sojourner Douglass College 1998-2000, earned a BS degree from Coppin State College in 2003 and an MSW from University of Maryland School of Social Work in 2004.  Kelly’s employment history includes the University of Maryland Medical Systems, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Alcohol & Drugs, part time as a Substance Abuse Counselor from 2003 to 2004; and a Case Manager supervising homeless veterans at The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, (McVet) between 2004 and 2009. 

His resume also include numerous internships such as the Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Baltimore Needle Exchange Program in 2002. He conducted and presented research under the supervision of Dr. Fred Medinger & advisor Dr. Klau, Associate Professors at Coppin State College; McNair Research Conference, May 2002 on the subject of The Hardships of Homeless Veterans of the Vietnam era. He conducted literature review research on Families and Substance Abuse, under the supervision of his mentor, Dr. Llewellyn J. Cornelius, Associate Professor, University of Maryland, summer 2002. He further presented research findings at Penn State College McNair 10th Annual Conference in August 2002 on the topic of The Hardships of Homeless Veterans of the Vietnam era.

Kelly worked on the The Baltimore Mayor's Office: Family, Youth & Children "Baltimore Rising Program" between 2002 and 2003. He presented research findings at Coppin State College, McNair Conference in May 2003 on HIV/AIDS Epidemic in our African American Communities and University of Maryland Medical Systems, Department of Psychiatry Division of Alcohol & Drugs between 2003 and 2004.

Currently Kelly attends Walden University, School of Public Health in the Doctoral Program.

Through it all, Kelly has reconnected with his higher power and now has as his personal mission to assist the elderly population through their struggles with substance abuse issues and other health concerns.