Please enjoy this last issue of the Essay and join us, if you haven’t already, in following us through other platforms!

Since the early 90s, the Essay has been a place to share about Service Alternatives’ client and staff successes, community engagement, and new contracts. For years, it was the ex-clusive way we publicly shared stories of our work. For many of us here at SA, it has been a way to share about the work we are so passionate about with our families, friends, and communities. It has been a source of pride and a part of our culture.

Over the last several years, we have increased our engagement in social media. Mostly through Facebook with some more recent involvement in Instagram and a tad bit with LinkedIn. We have started a blog where we highlight Day in the Life employee stories, client and employee successes, leadership tips, etc.

We hope you’ll join us on our blog and check out our Facebook page for continued updates and stories. One thing that won’t change is that we’ll still be sharing stories that highlight what is going on. We’re excited to explore these platforms and find new ways of sharing our work with you!

Blog: servalt.com YouTube: ServiceAlternatives (coming soon!)Instagram: Service_Alternatives LinkedIn: Service Alternatives, Inc.Facebook: Service Alternatives & Service Alternatives Foster Care & Parenting Solutions

You can also read about us and enjoy our annual review by going to servalt.com. Stay tuned next year for an updated website!

We will be creating books with all previous Essay editions to keep at our DOPH Build-ing in Everett. History matters and a walk down memory lane provides perspective for where we have come, where we are now, and where we are headed.

We also wanted to take a moment to reflect on the evolution of this newsletter. Each CEO has had their own corner and enjoyed writing for this publication. You will find snip-pets of various newsletters spread throughout this last edition.

Thank you for following us through the Essay for all of these years and we look forward to connecting on more platforms!

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The EssayVolume 29 Issue 2

We hope you enjoy the following stories from our staff

about the work we do!

December 2019

Making Room for New Beginnings

Table of Contents

Data DrivenPage 2

Something to CelebratePage 3

A Day in the ParkPage 4

Welcome Home!Page 5

LongevityPage 6

Belinda’s CornerPage 7

Anniversaries Page 8-9

About SAPage 10

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The EssayThe Essay

I’ve been fortunate to be part of our amazing organization for many years, in a few different roles. In all those years I’ve seen a lot of change and helped create some of that change. At our core, we at SA have always been about excellent ser-vice to our clients and customers, first and foremost. Simply put, it’s why we’re here. Recognizing this, it’s very important for us to know how we’re doing by measuring ourselves against a variety of indicators. We may think we’re ‘doing ex-cellent work’, and we may be right. How do we really know? And how do others outside of SA know? Our potential new clients and families? Our funders?

One way is through stories. In my time here, we’ve always been good at talking and writing about the achievements and success of our clients, and staff. As SA has grown, we’ve seen the need to assess ourselves, and tell the story in a larger sense, through data. Further, our funding customers are increasingly expecting us to track and report on data that measures our performance.

In my current role, as Quality and Compliance Development Administrator, I deal with data a lot, and CES has been honing its performance measures and indicators over the past few years. And, there’s always more to learn and do to ensure we are really using performance data and measurements in strategic planning and decision making.

This past summer I had a unique opportunity to attend a workshop put on by CARF, our accreditation provider. The train-ing was called “Transforming Outcomes Data into Management Information”, and took place in Philadelphia, PA. Remem-ber the news about a major heat wave on the east coast? Well, that was the week I was there. A bit toasty and humid for a west coast native!

The workshop focused on 3 major areas. First was the “frame-work”, or how to develop objectives and performance indicators based on what matters most for the business, and its stakehold-ers. Second, the “data”. I was ambitious and took the highest-level lab, which felt like a mid-level college class on statistical analysis crunched into a day and a half. I’ll be honest, my brain still hurts a bit! Last was “reporting”, or how to take the various data and present it in a way that facilitates sound decision making, and accurate sharing of performance information with stakeholders.

I’m excited that as a result of attending this workshop, I will have the opportunity to work with all parts of SA over the next year. I’ll be working with leaders in ASL, CFS and SATI on integrating performance measurements and related systems into their work, while also continuing to improve systems in CES.

As SA closes out celebrating its 35th birthday year, we look forward to another 35 years of excellence and beyond, increas-ingly through data driven decisions, planning and achievement of outcomes.

Data Driven by Anton Saunsaucie

Community Employment Services

Anton enjoying the warm weather in Philadelphia!

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Volume 29, Issue 2

I recently attended an adoption party for our most recent “BRS foster care pro-gram” graduate. As the parents walked into the room with their son, I was re-minded of the importance of the work we do at Service Alternatives. I thought of all the people who helped to make this happen. I thought of the licenser who recruited and walked the family through the home study process, the BISS workers, placement coordinator, case managers and the amazing family who worked through the ups and downs to get to this point.

I will never forget the first meeting with the parents, Wendy and Rene, when Kim was first licensing them. I asked Wendy’s permission to share part of her story and the couple’s reason for wanting to do foster care. Wendy and her little sisters were removed from her biological family and put into foster care. Wendy eventually was split up from her sisters and had a very difficult childhood in foster care. However, the last foster parent she had changed her life for the better. Her younger siblings were not as fortunate in foster care. Wendy and her husband had a desire to make a difference in a child’s life the way her last foster parent had done for her. She knew what it meant to be a foster child and thus knew what a child in foster care needed. After Rene and Wendy were married, they obtained custody of her younger siblings and finished raising them.

Once licensed with SA, they received their first placement and 12 months later adopted their first son. Whenever anyone comments how blessed he is to have them, Wendy and Rene always say, “No, we are the ones blessed to have him as our son.”

The adoption party celebrated the community of natural supports and the strong community they built to embrace the child. This party was thrown by

their church family. In addition to the church family, his teacher and other friends and neighbors were there. It was a full house. This was a big celebration that included great food, games and camaraderie.

As I reflected on how this forever family was created, I was thankful for the opportunity I had to be a part of this and realized what can happen when people care and work together.

Permanency is the true outcome we are trying to achieve for every child that enters our BRS foster care program. The bottom line is all children are special and deserve a forever family. This kind of success makes all the hard work and crisis calls worth it. I hope to be a part of many more adoption parties in the future.

Something to Celebrateby Opal Svancara

Children & Family Services

Picture includes: Tyler Williams, past SA BRS case manager (now Catholic Family ILS worker), The Galeas Family with Titus (Brandon), Rene and Wendy Galeas and

Opal Svancara, Service Alternatives

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The EssayThe Essay

I have got to share how much fun was had in the sun at the 4th Annual Service Alternatives ASL BBQ. A Day in the Park was created as a way for all clients, staff and their families to have a fun filled day together. We all get to mingle and get to know one another. It really is a great time for clients, staff and families to just hang out, eat and visit.

This day is truly a collaborative effort across the programs. ASL purchases the food & does the cooking, the DBT/PBS program oversees the games and the Admin team coordinates efforts. This year to expand on our spirit of working together, there were signups for setting up beforehand, food prepa-ration and a cleanup crew.

Lunch included burgers and hotdogs grilled to perfection, chips, salads, cookies and cake! Cake!

Games included an egg toss, pie eating contest, water balloons and a scavenger hunt. The photos are fantastic but don’t capture the sound of the cheers and ap-plause for the participants. The laughter was infectious, and it was obvious all the games were a huge hit. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next year.

The weather cooperated, we could not have asked for a prettier day to spend by the lake. Sunshine and laughter just go together. Toss in a water balloon or two and it’s perfect.

This was a bigger turn out than last year and once word is out on how much of a blast is to be had, I’m sure next year’s gig will be epic. Hope to see you all there!

A Day in the Parkby Heather Poulson

Adult Supported Living

Pie anyone?

Just hanging out!

There was also an intense egg toss.

So much good food and good

company!

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Volume 29, Issue 2

Often, staff from SATI are found up-in-front facilitating a training. As a training institute, we provide a variety of services that occur behind the scenes—whether it’s curriculum development, systems management and creation, or consultations and debriefings. Much of our coordination work occurs out of our technical assis-tance contracts.

Technical Assistance serves our clients in providing resources, train-ing, and consultations to service providers seeking support in bridg-ing a gap in their work. By empowering providers with the skills to serve our diverse communities, we create opportunities for indi-viduals to live with greater independence. One aspect of our newly renewed DDA Technical Assistance contract is the Roads to Commu-nity Living project.

Roads to Community Living (RCL) is a federal initiative to help pro-viders around the country gain the resources necessary to success-fully transition individuals who live in residential habilitative centers (RHCs) to community living. RCL creates these supports through a number of research-driven projects, training, and consultations.This year, we have started a wonderfully fulfilling project. While working with providers on improving their skills in supporting the transition of individuals from institutions, there was a realization that we can do more to make the transition feel like home. RCL staff from the state have worked with individuals who will be transition-ing to community living to find out their interests, passions, and hobbies.

From that information, Service Alternatives puts together house-warming gift baskets filled to the brim (and sometimes beyond!) with items identified by the person moving. It’s fulfilling to know that we are a part of the solution to provide assistance from a variety of angles—supporting people directly, providers, communi-ties, and our customers.

Welcome Home!by Rob Hays

Training Institute

Just some of the house-warming baskets!

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The EssayThe Essay

My story is not unlike many others who have come before me. I had a normal upbringing, living in various places around the Northwest. Twice, I’ve called Yakima and Ellensburg home. Eventually, I landed on Whidbey Island in May of ‘75. During my 10th and 11th grade years I became a teacher’s assistant for the “pre-vocational education” teacher (a shout out to Mr. Le-Mieux). This was really my first exposure to individuals with disabilities. My friends had siblings with disabilities, but I never met them because they were living in the state operated schools.

Fast forward to after high school when I joined the air force. After doing my civic service, I went back and forth between California and Whidbey Island, searching for myself and a place in the world. I never actually found myself, but along the way I did find my wife of 33 years. At the time we met, I was working for New Leaf Inc., alongside individuals with disabilities, perform-ing similar work. At the time, they held numerous contracts with Naval Air Station Whidbey, and we would perform lawn maintenance, janitorial/stocking duties. After a few odd jobs, I decided to answer an advertisement in the paper looking for individuals interested in making a difference in the lives of others. After a very quick and informal interview, I was offered a part-time position with Service Alternatives Community Access program.

The job was going swimming with the tenant support clients once a week. When I wasn’t able to pick up the hours needed to support a fledgling family, I applied for a full-time overnight position with the tenant support program.

It was an interesting time. We would stay at the program for three days, spending nights at the Brown House. Those were not always quiet or restful nights. I remember, not too long after being hired, Maggie and I being chased by a client, who had a very hard plastic baseball bat, around the apartment complex parking lot. The owner at that time, Fran, came to save the day. There were also times as a program manager that we planned overnight retreats to both Vancouver and Vic-toria with the entire team. Those are good memories, but there are also memories and stories of clients and staff who we lost too early.

Over the course of my 29 years, I have been blessed to be part of many a great story. As I move into my 30th year, I would encourage all those who are just starting out on their path with Service Alternatives to take the time to make new stories that you can share in 29 years. And just maybe it will inspire others to do the same.

Spotlight on LongevityTim Watt

Adult Supported Living

Spotlight on Longevity!

Tim Watt.

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Volume 29, Issue 2

Core values form the fabric by which Service Alternatives operates and our vision serves as the guiding star. We use our values in meaningful and intentional ways to guide our work, consistently striving to carry out our work in a manner that aligns with these core values.  With this said, true values-based organizations don’t change values often and, in fact, SA has not made changes to our values for about 20 years. However, over the past few years, it’s become clear through our conversations and work that a certain value has gone undeclared. It is with this spirit that we are excited to be adding the value of respect. This additional value will further strengthen the quality of our culture. True values-based organizations such as SA uphold a culture that embodies a consistent pursuit of aligning what we do, what we say, and what we intend with what we value. We are excited to be formally including respect in our values and will be humbly pursuing this alignment.

Belinda’s CornerBelinda Kindschi, CEO

This change was initially prompted by feedback we received from our Advocate Advisory Council, an amazing group of adults served by SA in supported living and/or employment services that serve as an advisory group. Respect relates to how we treat each other, how we support our clients, how we interact with customers, and how we recognize each indi-vidual’s contribution. The presence of respect truly strengthens the rest of our six core values.  The launch of our respect value will happen throughout 2020. We have activities planned to help embed this new value and have it come alive in the core of our work; in the core of our organization. While we are still finalizing the formal definition, respect at SA means that ‘we hold deep regard for the wishes, rights, and traditions of all people.’ To offer a more comprehensive definition, ‘Respect is a mindset. It is a fundamental belief that each human being is owed consid-eration and deserves to be treated with dignity.’

From our work with our clients, to our relationships with one another, to the cultural shifts we help to nurture through our professional training programs, we always remember that we are in the service of people. We value the contribu-tions and experiences of each individual, seeking always to understand and amplify their unique potential.

Our values will be: 

Community Customer Service  

Employee Satisfaction Excellence 

Fiscal Responsibility Integrity 

Respect (new!)

Our vision statement remains:  Advancing the potential of our communities, customers, and ourselves through exceptional service. 

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The EssayThe Essay

JulyName Years of ServiceAMANDA WEISS 1LARRY RHINEHART 1CASSIE COLVIN 1KATHLEEN WINSTON 1JOSEPH LEE 1ANGELA WITT 1SHEENA WELTER 2BRITTANY FREEMAN 2GARY WILDER 2MOLLY MILLER 2JASON ERICKSON 2BEVERLY BROWN 3THERESA PUCCIO 3BINTA JABANG NGUM 3REBECCA SCHRUM 3OLIVIA LYON 4NATHAN LOFQUIST 4LAWRANCE MAKOKHA 7WELDEZION HABTEMARIAM 7TAMARA CLEMMER 8CELESTE FIKEJS 8LISA QUILICO 9MICHAEL VIAN 9ERIN KAJIKAWA-GARCIA 12THOMAS MCCURDY 14LINDA ANDREWS 15MICHAEL RESNICK 15ANDREA BECK 24MARY PAGE 25BELINDA KINDSCHI 28

AugustName Years of ServiceMAMA TRAWALLY 1KRISTEN GREEN 1GIBBU JANNEH 1DANIEL HOISINGTON 1FATOU JALLOW 2NICOLE PUENTE 2KAYLEIGH THOMAS 2

Anniversaries

We are so grateful to our employees! Whether it’s been one year, or thirty, Service Alternatives wouldn’t be here without you. Below are anniversaries that SA is celebrating the second half of 2019.

KEBBA BADJAN 2CLAUDIA JAUREGUI-GRAHAM 2ALANA SANTIAGO-BARRIENTOS 3KESSA STEPHENSON-TAYLOR 3SHAWNA MICHELS 3CHRYSTA FARLEY 4ANNA HALLEEN 4MARK VANDERHORST 4VIRGINIA JOHNSON 4FABIOLA JAUREGUI-HERNANDEZ 5VAIOLA TASI 5CHRISTOPHER BROWNAWELL 5JESSICA STINNETT 6ODESSA LOPEZ-GARCIA 6MODOU SOWE 6AELFWYNN FREER 8JENNIFER HOPSON 9CHONDRA STONE 9KEBBA MBYE 13KIMBERLY FAULKS 13DAVE MAIDEN 16ASHLEE WILEY 16DANA DAVISON 19AMATA LUTALI 19JEFF ENNETT 22MELISSA DARLINGTON 24LORI WATT 26CHRISTINE BLACK 27

SeptemberName Years of ServiceOUMIE CHAM 1ABDOULIE JAWNEH 1STACY PULK 1DANYELLE STAHL 1AJI NJIE 2ALICE KAGAI 2DEMETRIA LUND 2CARLA DAWES 2ROKIYATOU DIKO 2CHRISTOPHER RUIZ 3CATHY TOLLEY 3

EDWIN GIKUNGI 3CHERYLNE MAGALEI 4SUMMER SIMPSON 4ESTERLITA FORSCHLER 5ROSEMARY KARANJA 5SHEILA MARTINEZ 5MELISSA WOODALL 6ALI AL SADI 6ETHEN VOLKMAN 7BAKARY DARBOE 8DIANE FELDT 9SHIRLEY KESAULYA 10SONA PORTER 10WENDY RUTKOWSKI 16BRANDY SCHUTZ 17RONALD LANGINGI 19CRISTA HENDRICKSON 19

OctoberName Years of ServicePAUL MAWEU 1PA CHERNO FYE 1KENDRA MCDONALD 1ISAAC WILDER II 1QIERRA BROWN 1SORAYA SULTAN-MEER 1SANDY BRINKLEY 2GINA TILLEY 2LINSEY OLSEN 2LESLIE MARTIN 2ADRIENNE CHAVEZ 2RICHARD HALLER 3JENNA SAVISKY 3FAAMU KUKA 3KATHRYN HARRILL 3DARYL ACHORD 3SEAN TABAYOYON 3NGENARR SAMBA 3RYAN MILLER 3WILLIAM CROSS 4BUBA NMI JAMMEH 4APOLINAIRE MULENGE 5WILLIAM MCFADDEN 5

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Volume 29, Issue 2

Aniversaries (con’t)

Be sure to like us on Facebook for exciting new updates. And check out our website: www.servalt.com to read our blog!

JAY CORDARY 5CLAIRE CLAUSON 5ASHLIE SOTO 7KRISTINE HILTON 7MICHELLE SEARCY 8BUKA PEMBA 10JESSICA WESTON 11JUDITH TIDWELL 11HEATHER POULSON 11RENAE ADKINSON 15MICHEL MEKINAWE 15JOSEPH BUCHMANN 17CHRISTIAN KATABANA 19LARISSA FLOYD 20TIMOTHY WATT 29TROY SCHULDHEISS 30

NovemberName Years of ServiceGABRIEL GREGORY 1MARICELA BARRIOS MARTINEZ 1YAI SILLAH 1TOYA NJIE 2ADAMA NYASS 2LESLEY GRIMM 2

Thank you for your commitment to our

company.

BINTA MANNEH 2ARAMATA MANNEH 2FATOUMATOU JALLOW 2ZHANNA YERMAKOVYCH 2VERLIN LEEDY 2MAY SCHMIDT 3TREVOR EDISON 3KIMBERLEY GRINDE-LESICH 4JESSE SUMMER-LAVIGNE 4WILLIAM PAGE 5AICHA BOUKARI 8ALAGIE JAWARA 8CHRISTOPHER WEBB 10ROBERT WOOD 10BUBA SANNEH 11LINDSAY BROWN 12ELAINA DOYLE 16KELLI EGGERT 17MARC RODRIGUEZ 17CRISTINA VILLALBA 18DAVE LANNING 18LIDIA BOLDOR 18KAREN THOMPSON 20

DecemberName Years of Service RAISA KINGARA 1SAMWEL KIMANI 1PA OUSMAN JOOF 1EUNICE NGANGA 1KIMBERLY NORTHROP 2ANTHONY PARISI 2MEGHLA JULIN 2JESSICA JONES 2KARIETTA KAMARA 2AUDREY MENDY 2SHEREAH HOUSTON 3EBRIMA GAGIGO 3SANDRA REYES 3ANSU SINGHATEH 4ARABIATOU JARJUSEY 4TAYLOR LIVINGSTON 4ANTA DOUKOURE EPSE DRAME 4KELLI CINCO 5FRIDA CHRISTMAN 5HALIMA SHURIYE 8OMAR GAYE 9ANJEANETTE POTTS 18TRAYCI JONES 27RENEE STUECKLE 27ALENA YASTCHENKO 27

The Essay

Service Alternatives Training Institute Managing Editor: Anna HalleenPO Box 5010 Lynnwood, WA 98046The Essay is published two times per year. All submissions should be in Word format and sent to the editor at: register@servalt-training.com

Service Alternatives, Inc. is a for profit human service organization. We are an equal opportunity employer and we support work-force diversity. We are committed to applying this policy equally to relationships between the company, its customers, clients and employees.

Adult Supported LivingAdult Supported Living (ASL) provides services to adults with developmental disabilities in their homes and respite ser-vices to clients from the community. Clients have a range of physical, mental, or behavioral health needs. ASL aims to enrich their lives by teaching independence and helping them make connections in the community. The fundamental belief that everyone has the right and responsibility to take risks and make informed choices drives the work. ASL couples this with dedication to meeting clients’ needs and assisting them in achieving their goals. Helping clients exceed their own expec-tations by teaching them to overcome barriers and advance their potential drives services.

Children & Family ServicesChildren & Family Services (CFS) believes that every child deserves a safe, nurturing, and permanent home. CFS provides wrap-around services in varied settings to promote stable family relationships, adolescent health and well-being, and the safety and welfare of all children. CFS supports children in community resi-dential homes, treatment foster homes, family homes, and community settings. The vast array of community services includes parent-child visitation services, evi-dence-based parenting classes, and independent living skills programs. CFS enhances lives by focusing on each child’s and their family’s individual strengths and pro-moting emotional, psychological, and physical health with the goal of strengthening the family unit, family reunification, permanency, and transition to adulthood.

Community & Employment Services Community & Employment Services (CES) provides services designed to help people find and keep mean-ingful jobs and connections in their community. CES supports people with a range of disabilities, as well as people transitioning from public assistance to employment. CES has built a reputation for serving people with the most challenging needs and elevat-ing people who are marginalized due to disability or socioeconomic status. Services are person centered and outcome based. Supports may include resource development, assessment of vocational skills and goal development, job development, work experiences, job coaching, employment retention support, volunteer placement, assistance to overcome barriers that prevent successful employment, and community inclusion. CES’ philosophy and belief is that everyone is employable.

Service Alternatives Training InstituteService Alternatives Training Institute (SATI) prides itself on being a leader in training in Washington Sate and nationally. This is based on SATI’s highly qualified, expe-rienced, and enthusiastic team as well as well-developed systems of continuous quality assurance and improve-ment. SATI advances the potential of organizations and people through training and facilitation in topics that include de-escalation, compliance, leadership develop-ment, and community engagement. SATI believes that exceptional training leads to sustainable results, and prioritizes supporting clients each step of the way.

Who is Service Alternatives? We are a diverse team of people, united and driven by our vision:

Advancing the potential of our communities, customers, and ourselves through exceptional service.

Our ValuesWe have a strong set of guiding core values through which we think, act and operate our business in order

to successfully carry out our vision.

Respect Integrity Community Employee Satisfaction Excellence Customer Service Fiscal Responsibility