San Francisco, CA – Asian American Recovery Services (AARS), a program of HealthRIGHT 360, is celebrating its 40th anniversary on February 7, 2026, marking four decades of pioneering, community-led behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, and other inappropriately served or underserved communities across the San Francisco Bay Area.
Founded on February 17, 1985, AARS was the nation’s first residential SUD treatment program designed specifically for Asian American and Pacific Islander adults, created in direct response to the lack of culturally competent treatment for these communities. What began as a grassroots effort has since become a national model for culturally responsive, multilingual, community-based care, serving thousands of youth, adults, and families each year across San Francisco, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties.
“As we celebrate 40 years, we honor a legacy built by community members who refused to accept inequitable access to care. They created services rooted in the needs, cultures, and strengths of their communities,” said Razelle Buenavista, Divisional Director for HealthRIGHT 360. “AARS was founded on the belief that culture, language, and lived experience are essential to healing. Four decades later, that commitment continues to shape how we serve families, support recovery, and strengthen well-being across the Bay Area.”
The anniversary celebration will feature leaders whose work spans the criminal legal system, public health, and community-based treatment and prevention, reflecting the interdisciplinary roots of AARS’s mission. Featured distinguished guests include:
- Judge Bruce Chan, San Francisco Superior Court Judge and founding member and past chairman of AARS
- David K. Mineta, CEO of Alum Rock Counseling Center
- Jeff Mori, community leader and recovery advocate
- Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto, President and Trustee for the Fremont Union High School District Board
- Judge Newton J. Lam, advocate for justice-involved youth and community-based alternatives
Together, these leaders represent the historical and ongoing collaboration between treatment providers, community-based organizations, and courts that has defined AARS’s approach for four decades.
Today, AARS provides culturally responsive SUD treatment, mental health care, prevention services, and community support delivered by multilingual staff who reflect the communities they serve. Originally founded to serve AANHPI communities, AARS has expanded over time, including providing significant support for Latino clients in Santa Clara County. This year also marks 31 years of the Sister-to-Sister Youth Leadership Conference, a program that demonstrates AARS’s ongoing commitment to prevention, youth empowerment, and healing. HealthRIGHT 360 is using the anniversary to call for continued investment in community-defined, evidence-based practices and partnerships that preserve and expand access to healthcare for all, regardless of background or identity.
About Asian American Recovery Services (AARS)
Asian American Recovery Services (AARS) is a program of HealthRIGHT 360, providing culturally competent behavioral health and substance use services to youth, adults, and families throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. AARS partners with government agencies and community-based organizations to deliver integrated care, prevention, and advocacy rooted in community strengths.