Agency - Occupational Therapy Training Program Of San Francisco

Special Service for Groups is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing community-based solutions to the social and economic issues facing those in greatest need. SSG has evolved into a model organization which is designed to provide services to diverse groups with maximum efficiency and impact. This is achieved by developing and managing programs which serve our many communities by encouraging their involvement and self-sufficiency.
Occupational Therapy Training Program (OTTP) is dedicated to providing comprehensive life skills services to high-risk youth and young adults, with the ultimate goal of providing young people with the skills they need to be productive, independent members of society. OTTP was founded and continues to thrive on the principles of Occupational Therapy, which emphasize that by engaging individuals in meaningful and purposeful activity, they can develop the skills they need to function most optimally in their life roles.
Our model is based on the core belief that “All people need to engage in the occupations of their need and choice, to grow through what they do, and to experience independence, equality, participation, security, health and well being”. Central to this core belief is our emphasis on including the whole family, whenever possible, to participate in service development.

Description:
Since its inception in 1975, OTTP’s unique, culturally competent, community based model has utilized a wraparound service approach and has integrated the evidenced based practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy and occupational therapy in producing positive outcomes for youth experiencing serious emotional and behavioral disorders. OTTP’s wraparound service approach embodies a family and child centered, strength-focused, needs-driven, team based and collaborative approach to service planning and delivery. Our multi-component, multi-contextual approach intervenes at family, school and peer levels and has been extremely successful in achieving positive outcomes. The ultimate goal of OTTP is to address the needs of the entire family, while focusing specifically on critical needs of the child. By designing individually tailored activities for the child, OTTP’s occupational therapists engage the child and aid the child in developing self-esteem and mastering age-appropriate life roles. Occupational therapists focus on the youth’s achievement of personal, social, and vocational goals by engaging clients in purposeful activity, completion of tasks, and recognition of capabilities, values and interests. Services are designed and planned with input from the family and are designed in a culturally sensitive manner, building on the unique strengths and values of each individual family. OTTP’s model is based on the social development model (SDM), which expands upon Hirschi’s (1969) social control theory hypothesizing that high-risk behavior is prevented by high levels of social bonding to conventional others. In keeping with its roots in the profession of occupational therapy (OT), OTTP has combined the SDM with two well-respected models in the field of OT, Cognitive-Behavioral Model and Gary Kielhofner’s Model of Human Occupations (MOHO). These models emphasize the importance of competence in occupational performances (collectively known as occupation) of school/work, play/leisure/recreation and activities of daily living. OTTP draws upon these theoretical models to develop comprehensive and effective interventions for the youth that we serve.

History:
OTTP was originally developed in LA county, and continues to operate a comprehensive program (see www.ottp.org). OTTP's Division Director Colleen Devine expanded the program to San Francisco in 1999. Over the past 13 years, OTTP has provided high quality mental health and independent living skills services to the target population of at-risk, economically disadvantaged children, youth, and transitional age youth. A majority of the target population has been youth functioning ‘on the fringe’ of the juvenile justice system. OTTP has worked collaboratively and provided full scope services to youth in a number of traditional, special education, non-public and community day schools, as well as in the juvenile justice center, Log Cabin Ranch, Youth Guidance Center, and numerous city agency sites. Services include individual, group and family psychotherapy, which are complemented by occupational therapy intervention including independent living skills, and clinical case management. Through our extensive work in San Francisco over the past thirteen years, we have had an opportunity to serve numerous culturally diverse populations with serious behavioral health challenges. Examples of sites where we have operated occupational therapy programs with this target population include Edgewood Children’s Treatment Center, Burt Children’s Center, Sand Paths Academy, Saint Elizabeth/Mount Saint Joseph Home for Girls, Hilltop High School, McCauley Day Treatment Center, Erickson, The Thrive House, Log Cabin Ranch, the San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center and numerous schools in the San Francisco Unified School District. Currently, OTTP is offering programming at Log Cabin Ranch, the Juvenile Justice Center, Family Mosaic Agency, ten local schools (including elementary, middle and high school settings), the Thrive House, and local community (where we offer intensive supervision and clinical case management services).
OTTP’s strategies have proven effective in significantly diminishing impairments in functioning in youth with serious emotional and behavioral issues. Through our comprehensive occupational therapy assessment and therapeutic interventions, we have improved youths’ overall functioning to enable them to remain at home and in school and achieve developmental milestones to succeed academically, socially, and personally. OTTP services are community based and conducted in the least restrictive environment, including the youth’s home, school, OTTP clinic, or community.

Contact people:

Colleen Devine, Program Director, (phone), (email) Anna Rafalovich, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email) Cathy Nanez, Special Projects Manager, (phone), (email)

Address:

425 Divisadero Street, Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94117 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.ottp-sf.org

Directions:

OTTP-SF is centrally located in San Francisco in district 5. Our office is located at 425 Divisadero Street, Suite 301. We are located between Oak Street and Divisadero Street. There is ample parking in the lot. OTTP is located one. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Castro,   Walk distance (in minutes): 30   Nearest Bus Stop: Muni 24 Hayes Street, 5 minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

Besides English, which languages are spoken at your agency?
	Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog
What is the minimum age for volunteers at your agency?
	18
Is your agency wheelchair accessible?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 10?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 20?
	Yes

Last updated on February 8, 2013