Creative Alternatives was founded to provide a safe and nurturing environment for troubled youth.
With over forty years of experience, Creative Alternatives continues to provide quality care in the Central Valley. 
In addition to our STRTP program, our agency offers non-public schools, resource family homes, Transitional Housing Placement Plus Foster Care program, and Mental Health services.  This wide array of services enables the agency to provide a continuity of care to the clients we serve.

Creative Alternatives operates multiple Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) facilities and provides a nurturing and well-supervised environment for males and those that identify as male, ages 6 years to nonminor dependent.  The children and nonminor dependents within the facilities are in need of therapeutic, culturally relevant services that our agency can provide.

Program Philosophy

VISION

All children deserve to be loved and afforded the right to emotional growth and stability.

Mission

The mission of Creative Alternatives is to deliver comprehensive therapeutic services in a nurturing environment to youth and young adults.

GOALS

Our goal is to stabilize clients in placement and prepare them for permanency through reunification with biological family, adoption with an identified resource family, or emancipation and independent living in the community. .

Mental Health Services

Creative Alternatives Mental Health operates under contract in Merced and Stanislaus County and is funded by:

  • Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery services (BHRS).
  • Merced County BHRS.
  • Santa Barbara County DSS/CPS.
  • Tuolumne Behavioral Health Department.

Our STRTP Homes:

Stanislaus County Homes

Berkeley Cottage (Capacity 8, License #500305469)
Berkeley Lodge (Capacity 8, License #500308363)
Greenway Orchard (Capacity 8, License #500313263)
Tuolumne Inn (Capacity 8, Licensee #500311481)

Merced County Homes

Bear Creak (Capacity 6, License #247201359)
Harmony House (Capacity 6, License #247202591)
Merced Ranch (Capacity 8, License #247200747)
Wake Forest (Capacity 6, License #247203412)

STRTP STAFF

Directors:
Brandi Boehme, STRTP Program Director  
bboehme@creative-alternatives.org
Joni Green, Mental Health Director 
jgreen@creative-alternatives.org    
STRTP Administrators:
Monica Alexander- Berkeley Lodge/ Tuolumne Inn   
malexander@creative-alternatives.org
Dawn Lee- Berkeley Cottage/
Bear Creek

dlee@creative-alternatives.org
Aaron Holloway- Merced Ranch/
Wake Forest  
aholloway@creative-alternatives.org  
Heads of Service:
Kim Lewis- Berkeley Lodge/
Tuolumne Inn

klewis@creative-alternatives.org)
Katrina Narsi- Berkeley Cottage   
  
knarsi@creative-alternatives.org
Elsa Alvarez- Merced Ranch/
Wake Forest   
ealvarez@creative-alternatives.org
Veronica Ramirez- Bear Creek

vramirez@creative-alternatives.org 
Intake Coordinator:
Nurse:
Gladys Ramirez         
gladys.ramirez@creative-alternatives.org
For general enquires please use form below: