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 offers Mental Health services in the STRTP Program:
- Rehabilitation
- Therapy
- Med Support
- Collateral
- Crisis Intervention
- IHBS
- ICC
- Case Management
Our STRTP Homes:
Merced County Homes
Bear Creak (Capacity 6, License #247201359)
Merced Ranch (Capacity 8, License #247200747)
Wake Forest (Capacity 6, License #247203412)
Stanislaus County Homes
Berkeley Cottage (Capacity 8, License #500305469)
Berkeley Lodge (Capacity 8, License #500308363)
Tuolumne Inn (Capacity 8, Licensee #500311481)
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)
Elsa Alvarez- Merced Ranch/
Wake Forest
ealvarez@creative-alternatives.org
Veronica Ramirez- Bear Creek
vramirez@creative-alternatives.org
Intake Coordinator:
Raul Mata
rmata@creative-alternatives.org
For general enquiries please use form below:
