2023 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
A Letter From The CEO
‘Growth’ comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. All growth, whether personal, community, or organizational, starts with an opening, even if it is a small one, to learn and grow. When an environment is created and fostered that is conducive to growth, development can be exponential.
Throughout the stories in this annual report, there are examples of personal encouragement, deepening trust, and supporting new experiences that exemplify the types of conditions that support personal and collective growth. The results are amazing. To name just a few, you will read about sobriety, improved family relationships, and reduction of social anxiety.
Nathaniel has grown in his skills to manage social anxiety and advocates for himself. A young man from Cedar House became sober and strengthened his family relationships. Skye has had successful stays at the overnight planned respite program, which has provided his family with a needed break.
Then there is the story of our Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) groups coming together and practicing interpersonal effectiveness skills that help each person to build and maintain relationships. The RIGHT RESPONSE Intensive created an environment for new trainers to learn and experience expeditious growth together, ultimately supporting the RIGHT RESPONSE program to carry out its mission of supporting more customers to increase safety in their environments. When individuals grow independently and come together in service of a common purpose and united in community, the opportunity for collective growth flourishes.
Finally, there is organizational growth. At Service Alternatives, we strive to not just talk about our values but to embed them in our work which, for us, means every individual embraces our values. When every individual embraces our core values, the way in which our organization grows in its culture and community is deeply powerful.
Whether it is individual, community, or organizational growth, each is represented in Service Alternatives’ mission of ‘Advancing the potential of our communities, customers, and ourselves through exceptional service’. Thanks to everyone who contributes to our mission and who is a part of Service Alternatives’ growth journey.
2023 Metrics SA Training Institute
Technical Assistance
RIGHT RESPONSE ®
Persons trained 4,705 Instructor certification courses 21
18,885
RIGHT RESPONSE® Certifications: certificates total across all licensees
160
New RIGHT RESPONSE Instructors
23,573
RIGHT RESPONSE® Workshop Hours: hours total across all licensees
Developmental Disabilities Specialty Trainings provided 90
198 participants trained 2,498
Events coordinated
# of hours trained 1,330
Organizational Instruction Team trainings held
307 # of hours of trained
2,078
2023 Metrics
Residential Services
371,332 Hours of direct service
84
80 Adult clients receiving residential services
136 D.B.T groups facilitated Respite stays provided
Community Services
87,668
Direct Service Hours to children and families
Youth moved to permanent
$689,000
Accumulative annual wages for people served
271 Businesses partnered with for Employment Supports
Families receiving Evidence Based Practice Services 106
DBT’s Annual Outdoor Gathering
In September, Service Alternatives’ Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) programs resumed their annual outdoor gathering! This annual gathering allowed friends to reunite at Forest Park in Everett, WA for an afternoon of fun, connection, and community. Conversations over pizza were a blend of nostalgia and newfound wisdom discovered through personal triumphs, challenges faced, and lessons learned over the course of the year.
The DBT annual gathering is an opportunity for Service Alternatives’ three DBT groups to join together, share a meal, and get to know new folks. DBT programs are designed to provide skills for managing emotions and navigating social relationships and the annual outdoor gathering provides a space for folks to put their learning into action!
This year, the focus was on practicing the interpersonal effectiveness skills that help us to build and maintain relationships. Service Alternatives’ staff created a “speedfriending” activity to practice interpersonal effectiveness, where people were partnered with someone they didn’t know very well and used pre-written conversation starters to spark connections and friendship.
The DBT outdoor gathering is a reflection of both individual and program growth. We are proud of our DBT programs for planning such a wonderful opportunity for our clients and we are excited to see this tradition continue!
Nathaniel’s New Job
Nathaniel, a client supported by Adult Residential Services, has embarked on a remarkable journey of personal growth this year. He secured a volunteer position at his local Ace Hardware store after encouragement from his supportive community at Service Alternatives and Tahoma Job Associates.
Tasked with responsibilities like organizing inventory and assisting customers, Nathaniel’s dedication and enthusiasm have endeared him to both customers and colleagues. His infectious smile and unwavering determination inspire those around him. His colleagues at Ace Hardware quickly recognized Nathaniel’s meticulous attention to detail and his genuine desire to help others. This place of employment has become more than just a workplace; it has become a supportive community where Nathaniel is valued for his unique skills.
Customers, too, appreciate Nathaniel’s friendly demeanor and willingness to go the extra mile. Whether helping someone find an item or offering a cheerful greeting, Nathaniel has become a beloved figure at Ace Hardware. In the future, Nathaniel’s employment at Ace Hardware will not only provide financial independence but also ignite a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Nathaniel’s experience at Ace Hardware has helped him work through some of his challenges with social anxiety and communication skills. Staff have observed that Nathaniel’s progress in holding conversations and advocating for himself are a direct result of his job with Ace Hardware
Nathaniel’s journey reinforces the notion that everyone, regardless of differences or challenges, has a vital role in the community.
Growing RIGHT RESPONSE ®
RIGHT RESPONSE, Service Alternatives’ de-escalation training program, had an incredible year of growth! The launch of our new and improved website reflects our commitment to providing modern, accessible, and easy-to-navigate resources for our customers. With the addition of two new trainers, the program now has a 7-person training team available to provide Service Alternatives and companies across the country (and New Zealand!) with all their deescalation training needs.
The program also crafted an innovative professional development initiative called the RIGHT RESPONSE Intensive that was resoundingly successful. This transformative six-week experience, directed by Vener Azurin, proved instrumental in shaping the skills and expertise of our incoming trainers. The immersive nature of the Intensive has fostered a culture of continuous learning while setting a new standard for excellence within the training team. The Intensive
proved to decrease the time needed for a trainer to be able to teach independently and will be incorporated into future trainer development. Vener’s success in leading the cohort through the Intensive is a beacon of Service Alternative’s commitment to nurturing both our internal talent and training delivery to our customers.
RIGHT RESPONSE also introduced a new role--a sales position, marking a significant milestone in our program’s history. Departing from the conventional approach of awaiting incoming customer inquiries, we are now initiating contact with potential clientele.
As we reflect on the remarkable year RIGHT RESPONSE has had, we see a profound transformation in the way we approach challenges and opportunities. With the time invested to develop our trainers, Service Alternatives is paving the way for RIGHT RESPONSE to reach exponentially more clients in the coming years.
And the SA Value Award Goes To..
Service Alternatives stands out for our unwavering commitment to our seven core values: Integrity, Excellence, Community, Respect, Customer Service, Employee Satisfaction, and Fiscal Responsibility. The Service Alternatives Value Awards (SAVA) Program is an opportunity to highlight our core values and recognize individuals who have embedded them in their daily work. From staff meetings to leadership gatherings, all employees are encouraged to reflect on and recognize the embodiment of Service Alternatives’ values in their colleagues. A team of employees makes up the nomination review committee, and they love being able to showcase their peers and read about the amazing work being done across the company. Each year, the SAVA team embraces a new theme, infusing creativity and freshness into the program. From a Pacific Northwest inspired theme to a travel inspired one, the committee’s ingenuity ensures that the SAVA experience remains dynamic and engaging year after year.
Each month, a pre-selected value is celebrated, and an award is distributed to
the nominated employee who most clearly demonstrated that value in their work. Additionally, all award recipients from the year gather for a Virtual Coffee Hour, where they receive individual connection and recognition from Service Alternatives’ CEO and COO, Belinda Kindschi and Karina Briscoe. During the Virtual Coffee Hour, award recipients are given an award basket that has been tailored to each recipient based on their likes, hobbies, and passions. All Value Award recipients have stories highlighted on the Service Alternatives website and blog.
Since SAVA began, the committee has been composed of individuals from various roles, departments, geographies, and service areas. Having representation from all areas, particularly from direct support professionals is incredibly meaningful.
Through initiatives like SAVA, Service Alternatives demonstrates its steadfast commitment to employee satisfaction, compassion, and innovation, proving that when values drive action, extraordinary things happen.
A Second Home
SA’s Cedar House is a short-term housing and support program for young people that has proven to be an invaluable asset within the Snohomish County community. This story highlights the challenges and growth of one particular youth who, with the compassionate guidance and support from Cedar House, has made strides towards a promising and healthier future.
Upon his initial engagement with Cedar House, this young person grappled with several challenges in his life including addiction, school attendance, removal from several schools, legal issues, poor health, and severely strained relationships with family. Cedar House immediately facilitated his enrollment and attendance in school and ensured his Individualized Education Plan (IEP) was in place to support his education. While staying at Cedar House, he discovered he was able to remain sober and began to attend school and prioritize his education. The Cedar House environment paved the way for developing personal motivation and he began to set goals for himself.
Over the course of the year, he completed in-patient treatment and also set up subsequent outpatient treatment. Since his first stay at Cedar House, he’s addressed his legal charges by completing expected court dates and meetings with his probation officer. Since then, his relationships with his parents and siblings has improved dramatically.
While his struggle with addiction can still be a challenge, the progress he has made is leading him towards a healthy future. He continues to refer to Cedar House as his “second home”, as a place of support when he needs it. He feels comfortable there and has become an example for other youth in the program. He states that with the support of Cedar House he can maintain sobriety and work toward his goals. The progress over the last year demonstrates not only his resilience but also the positive impact Cedar House has had on his life.
A New Horizon for Skye
2023 has been a year of growth for clients, but Skye Phillips in particular stands out. Skye, a 20-year-old respite client, is very shy, finds it difficult to trust others and didn’t want to leave his parents’ side. However, in October, he tried respite stays at his local Service Alternatives program.
Respite is provided through Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) funding in order to allow caregivers to have a muchneeded break. When Skye arrived at the program, he was very scared, especially when he realized that his parents would be leaving without him. When he arrived, his mom stayed until he felt comfortable, and he was able to connect with two of the staff, Jerreh and Mariama.
Skye’s mom was so impressed with the trust SA staff was able to build with her son during his stay. Skye is non-verbal and utilizes signs and gestures to communicate, but staff were still able to create a comfortable and safe environment, passing time by working on puzzles together. To help Skye brush his teeth, a skill he has been struggling with, staff started brushing their own teeth and they completed the task together.
Skye’s mother is setting up weekly phone calls with the program to maintain those important connections and help Skye continue to feel comfortable between his respite stays. This story represents the amazing outcomes that can be achieved when the client, family, and program staff work collaboratively toward a common goal!
