2021 Annual Review
Dear Friends and Colleagues, While COVID still persisted, 2021 reflects a bit of transition from Service Alternatives (SA) being consumed by COVID to learning to live and work with COVID in our midst. The stories in this annual review reflect this transition. We got back into the classroom, supported more clients to work and engage in their communities, and started working with clients on envisioning a life of re-connection. We embraced some of the silver linings found during COVID and will use them to enrich services and engagement for years to come. Virtual tools like Zoom and YouTube have become long-term additions to our toolbox rather than simply survival techniques. While we experienced such change in both service delivery and employee-community engagement methods, our mission, vision, and core values have remained steadfast. Our values of respect, community, customer service, integrity, employee satisfaction, excellence, and fiscal responsibility provide strength and serve as our foundation regardless of circumstance. Though COVID is not yet in the rearview mirror, our Advocate Advisory Council showed us what is: the learning we can do from communities who have emerged from impactful historical events before us. The stories our council members shared of countries emerging from wartime or communities emerging from the Spanish flu have helped inform our approach to moving out of this current state of emergency and moving forward. We are deeply appreciative and humbled by this perspective. In this year of transition, we have learned to be mindful of the rearview mirror while moving forward to a co-existence with COVID rather than a consumption by COVID. That in itself is progress. I am left with a profound respect for the way in which SA clients, employees, foster parents, and community partners have come together to prioritize safety and well-being of one another. The care and consideration has been heartfelt. The collection of stories represents continued forward movement of advancing the potential of our communities, customers, and ourselves through exceptional service. Thank you to all who have been a part of our journey.
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
Vision: Thriving communities that empower, and are powered by, each person’s unique contributions.
Mission: Advancing the potential of our communities, customers, and ourselves through exceptional service.
Values: Fiscal Responsibility
Community
Respect
Respect
Customer Service
Community
Fiscal Responsibility
Customer Service
Excellence Community
Respect Excellence Customer Service
Respect
Integrity
Integrity
Customer Service
Fiscal Responsibility
Respect
Excellence Employee Satisfaction
Integrity
Excellence
Fiscal Responsibility Employee Satisfaction
Employee Satisfaction
Excellence
Respect
Community
Excellence
Community
Fiscal Responsibility Respect
Excellence
Employee Satisfaction Respect Community Fiscal Responsibility
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
Military Youth Academies Embrace RIGHT RESPONSE® After a year of canceling, rescheduling, and
principles of RIGHT RESPONSE. “Their language
reworking Instructor Certification Courses
was military, so it was a little intimidating, and
(ICCs), RIGHT RESPONSE® launched into 2021
foreign.” Ultimately though, their goals were
with an abundance of agencies old and new
empathy, education, and creating a safe space
that needed certified instructors. One of the
for their students. “The coolest thing was the
2021 ICCs took place in Elko, Nevada, where
kindness and respect,” Lynn recalled. “The
Instructor Trainer Lynn Lewis was tasked with
absolute dedication and compassion that these
training instructors for four Youth Academies,
staff have, [their] respect and dignity for these
which are military state-run high schools.
kids, and their hope for the future for them…I
Lynn expressed she was concerned that a
get goose bumps talking about these folks.”
military background might not mesh with the
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
After Lynn conducted the ICC in Elko, RIGHT RESPONSE heard from The SPECTRUM Group, an agency that helps source training for Youth Academies across the country. They sent two instructor candidates to an ICC to be supplemental trainers to other Youth Academies who did not yet have their own RIGHT RESPONSE instructors. The possibility of the government embracing RIGHT RESPONSE for their Youth Academies stemmed
426 Technical Assistance events coordinated 2,080 RIGHT RESPONSE workshops conducted
from this first ICC with the Idaho, Wyoming, North Carolina, and Nevada instructors, and later, expanded to Washington as well. RIGHT RESPONSE is eager to explore this exciting opportunity. It demonstrates the excellence and customer service ingrained in SA’s work.
18,436 RIGHT RESPONSE certificates issued
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
Exchanging Cultures: Sameera’s New Life in America Over the summer, Sameera, an Afghani refugee,
stay expecting that she would speak Farsi
came to stay at SA’s Overnight Planned Respite
and arranged for a translator. However, upon
Services (OPRS) program. In 2017, she and her
her arrival, they found out she instead speaks
four brothers left Afghanistan, traveling through
Dari. The team turned to Google Translate
five different countries to get to the United States.
and YouTube to learn conversational Dari and
Since arriving in the US, they have spread out
communicate with Sameera. “It introduced a
to different communities to pursue work and
whole new language and world,” Soraya said.
school. During the week Sameera stayed at the respite OPRS Residential Manager, Soraya Sultan-
home in Tacoma, the Direct Support Professionals
Meer, and the team had prepared for Sameera’s
took her out almost every day enjoying places
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
71 overnight planned respite stays
89 clients receiving residential services
like the botanical gardens and the aquarium.
“It was really a fulfillment of the American
When staying at OPRS, staff members try to
dream,” Soraya mused. “They still see it as a
make everyone feel at home. One staff member
bright future. Sameera has freedom now—she
tried to cook Afghani food for her. “And it turns
could go and do things that she could never
out, she likes fries and a burger and nuggets,”
do in Afghanistan. It made us feel like we had
Soraya laughed. The team even managed to
made the smallest of impacts.”
coordinate a meeting with her brothers! Sameera’s brothers are hoping one day she will live closer
These impacts were clear through Sameera’s
to them. Until then, these meetings are a special
heartful joy throughout her stay.
time together.
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
Interns Making a Lasting Impact for SA Youth SA’s Kennewick office, in Eastern Washington,
was to create a more welcoming space for the
has long been a place where SA serves foster
children that frequent the SA office. And by all
children. Opal Svancara, Clinical Area Manager,
accounts, they succeeded! They redecorated
viewed the office as an adult space; while it
two rooms in the office suite, completing their
allowed for kids, it wasn’t built for them. As
project in one intense weekend. They painted
part of an internship program to complete
the walls with bright colors, added hopeful
their degrees in Social Work, Sharla Sloppy,
quotes, and brought in new activities, crafts,
Lili Valladares, and Elizabeth Cisneros were
and learning tools. “They were on fire!” Opal
asked to complete a project that would create
remarked. “And they looked like they were
a long-lasting impact for SA.
having fun. We just appreciate them so much, and they did make a lasting impact. It will help
The three agreed the best way to make an impact
kids for a long time.”
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
70 emergency placements for youth
498 children, youth, and families served
Once the space was complete, one child suggested having their counseling in the new playroom—that’s how comfortable they were in the space! Especially in the age of COVID restrictions, when community spaces were unavailable or uncertain, rooms specifically
24 youth moved to permanent homes 276 families received evidenced based practice services
engineered to create a safe space for the youth supported by SA felt important and impactful. Now, instead of children coming into the office while the adults do paperwork, they are visiting a positive space curated for them that provides the opportunity to craft, relax, and play.
47 licensed foster homes
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
Helping Clients Find Their Passion For the Employment Services (ES) team,
Ashlee Wiley, Area Manager for Employment
navigating ever-changing COVID protocols
Services, emphasized the importance and
to help clients find work that was safe and
success of the person-centered approach,
met their specific needs often felt like a roller
particularly in 2021. With so many industries
coaster. The team showed incredible resilience
experiencing staffing shortages, new doors
and flexibility in the face of staffing shortages.
could be opened for clients. The ES team took
They generated momentum with fresh energy
the opportunity to deeply explore clients’ dreams
brought by newly hired employees, ultimately
and unique interests to connect them with jobs
increasing the number of client job placements
and community inclusion activities that would
by 25% in 2021.
be meaningful to them.
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
The ES team made the most of virtual resources like YouTube and Zoom to help clients research and learn about new fields and job skills. Clients participated in activities such as fitness classes, canvas painting, beading, and many attended virtual informational interviews. Others were able to receive smartphones from community partners and learn how to use them to gain further independence.
One client who loves animals was hired at a vet clinic, and SA was able to support her employment through COVID by bringing work back and forth for her so she could work from home. It is this kind of creativity and passion that defined 2021 and drove the ES team toward success!
150 clients served in employment services 221 businesses partnered with for employment services
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
Engaging Employees’ Potential Employee engagement opportunities are central
build relationships in the absence of in-person
to SA’s culture, connecting different service areas,
gatherings.
broadening perspectives, and shining a light on the work being done throughout the company.
The Rising Stars 2021 capstone projects showcased
One opportunity is Rising Stars, the emerging
amazing creativity: One Rising Star successfully
leadership training program for developing
used motivational interviewing with clients, while
leaders companywide. Each year, a cohort of
another incorporated their passion of singing
participants is selected to attend trainings,
and songwriting into their work. A third Rising
workshops, and networking events. Building
Star created an Excel document that improved
upon feedback, program leaders incorporated
the efficiency of the reimbursement process
seasonal virtual cafés anFd monthly resiliency
within SA’s foster care program. These are some
groups where participants could connect and
examples of the leadership from this program.
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
2,177 people trained by SA
46 leadership trainings provided
1,681 hours of training provided In September, National Direct Service Professional
Good Day, SA!, monthly video episodes shared
(DSP) Appreciation Week was celebrated by
companywide, also flourished this year. The
recognizing the Direct Support Professionals that
purpose of Good Day, SA! is to support each
make up 75% of SA’s staff. Each leadership team
employee to connect consistently with SA
made their own thank you videos, acknowledging
on topics that are engaging, interesting, and
the enormous load DSPs have been carrying
informative. Episodes include giving employees
since the beginning of the pandemic. 75 raffle
access to company updates from the CEO,
prizes were also given out as a way of saying
bringing awareness to the variety of services
thank you, and every DSP received an SA pen
provided each day, and an opportunity to
and card hand-signed by the Executive Team.
highlight meaningful moments for clients and staff. Good Day, SA! episodes are available on the SA YouTube channel to view at any time.
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
Client Voices Driving Positivity & Progress Established in 2018 as an opportunity for
of how to listen, validate, and give individual
clients to advise SA as experts in recipients of
opinions with respect and kindness.
services, the Advocate Advisory Council (AAC) has inspired growth and new policies that have
In 2021, the AAC was defined by positivity.
had a ripple effect across all of SA. “The AAC is
Council members have a sense of camaraderie
a master class on how to be in a room with a lot
and resilience that spreads to those around
of ideas and different perspectives and opinions
them. They truly felt like everyone was in the
and give respect to everyone who’s speaking,”
pandemic together, not just at SA, but as larger
Summer Simpson, an AAC facilitator explained.
communities, and even globally. During council
Council members have a deep understanding
meetings, members expressed how much they
2021 Service Alternatives Annual Review
104 Dialectical Behavior Therapy groups facilitated 480,000+ hours of direct support provided to all clients
are looking forward to life after the pandemic status and to honor AAC members’ time and and getting back to their normal community expertise, each member will receive their own activities safely. They shared many ideas of ways business cards. SA can celebrate when that day finally arrives. To learn more about the AAC, follow this QR While council meetings remained virtual in 2021, code for a short video. meeting coordinators maintained a personal touch by hand-delivering snack bags to AAC members before meetings so that they could still feel connected as a community. To recognize
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