SERVICE FIRST – SERVICE PROVIDER
Our Mission Statement: “To assist the residents of our community, by enhancing their lives, allowing them to realize their potential, and to lead lives that are integrated, productive, and fulfilling. This assistance includes assurance of basic needs: food, clothing, housing, and employment.”
OUR MOTTO: “Serious About Service”
On December 4, 1995, Service First of Northern California was incorporated for the purpose of providing Representative Payee and Fund Management Services in Modesto California for the Social Security Administration of Stanislaus County. These services require financial management for Social Security beneficiaries, with the main responsibility to assure that the client has: housing, food, health, and safety. Today, Payee Services are provided in both Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties, where we serve over 900 clients and manage over $9 million of client funds per year. The Modesto Representative Payee office is located at 1405 8th Street and the Stockton Representative Payee office is at 922 North Center Street (soon to be moved to 7 W. Acacia Street), while the corporate office is in Stockton, CA at 102 West Bianchi Road.
Approximately, one year after beginning Payee Services, Service First of Northern California became a vendor providing Supportive Living Services for consumers of Valley Mountain Regional Center. These services, offered to those consumers who live independently, are designed according to each consumer’s individual need and, for the most part, the daily living skills are done in the home of the consumer. For example, some of these services are budgeting, medication monitoring, transporting clients to the doctor, assisting with grocery shopping and etcetera. Basically, anything they need to permit them to successfully live independently and functionally. Although, the amount of support varies according to the needs of the consumer, Service First has separate divisions within their Supportive Living Services, which provides 24-hour in-home care. These services are also provided in both San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
In 2002, as a result of the California voters passing Proposition 36, Service First began an Outpatient Drug Treatment Program. Service First is currently contracted with San Joaquin County and the State Courts for provision of these services. In June 2010, the California State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs licensed Service First to establish Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Programs with the DUI Programs being held in English and Spanish for the convenience of our consumers.
In addition, in November 2010, Service First contracted with the County and the State to provide Treatment Services for Parole and the Probation Re-Entry Programs, High Violent Offenders, AB109 – Post Release, LCS – Local Community Supervision, and DUI Programs. This curriculum is directed at keeping the recidivism rate down, while assisting the clients with such things as: housing, education, retraining, and assimilating back into society. All the above-mentioned services are furnished in two convenient Stockton locations: North Stockton at 1222 Monaco Court, Suite 28, and Downtown Stockton at 445 West Weber Avenue, Suite 129 in the Waterfront Warehouse (soon to be moved to 7 W. Acacia Street).
“Options” Learning Center, an Adult Day Program, was state licensed in 2003 and is located at the corporate site. This program, designed to improve the lives of the developmentally disabled, serves VMRC consumers. The program consists of nine different components all to encourage: educational opportunities, socialization, building better relationships, and building self-esteem. The nine different components include:
Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Physical Fitness Training, Computer Lab, Reading Lab, Math, Parenting Classes, Nutrition/Cooking Activities, and Community Integration.
Unlike most adult day programs. “Options” allows the consumer to have a flexible schedule, designed more like a high school or college program, and caters to the higher functioning consumer. “Options” added a new service component in 2015, “Pre-Employment Training” which focuses on the individual needs of the consumers; helping them to develop or maintain employment skills. Skill training will include all the necessities in order to achieve the consumers goal of employment: resume writing, proper dress for interviews, interviewing skills, follow-up, attendance and punctuality, proper completion of an application, and building employment skills. Over the years “Options” has developed a training relationship with University of the Pacific and St. Catherine University. We provide clinical field experience to the students, an internship that gives each student hands on experience working with individuals with various disabilities and in some cases behavior challenges.
Service First Transportation Services is comprised of a fleet of three modified vans and two mini-buses; all with wheelchair lifts and able to accommodate wheelchair bound passengers. At one time, with funding provided from a specific grant, Service First contracted with San Joaquin Regional Transit District to provide the after-hour transportation services. Currently, services that are contracted through Valley Mountain Regional Center consist of providing daily transport to clients to and from their care homes to their day program, out-of-medical appointment transport, and our day program’s (“Options” Learning Center) weekly outings. We also provide transport for private pay Assisted Living facilities and private pay individuals. In 2018, Service First added two buses to our fleet.
Social Security Administration named Service First of Northern California as the Employment Network for their Ticket to Work Program in both Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties in June 2003. This voluntary program, aimed at job development and job placement, allows Social Security beneficiaries to accept employment with a guarantee of maintaining their medical services for at least eight and one-half (8½) years. Many of our clients are returning into the job market; many times, after a long-term disability. Additionally, the employer receives a tax credit and the program is designed to maintain client independence. This is a national program and Service First is one of the leaders in the nation for actual job placements. Our Employment Services Division, which includes our Ticket to Work Program has continued to grow.
In 2019 Service First, working with Valley Mountain Regional Center added two new job programs for the developmentally disabled consumers from VMRC, The Paid Internship Program and Competitive Integrated Employment.
In 2007, Service First added a full-time Housing Coordinator of Services Program under a contract with San Joaquin Behavioral Health for consumers with mental illnesses; to provide services at Mayfair Apartments (a 42-unit complex) and Madison Apartments ( a 24-unit complex. Our Coordinator of Services acts as a liaison advocate for our tenants, between the property management company and the contracting agencies (VMRC and San Joaquin County). Services provided include: Medication Monitoring, Household Maintenance, Tenant Council Government, Social/Community Integration, Accessing Generic Resources, and Advocating for the Tenants.
Housing Services: One of Service First’s main mission is to provide housing options for our consumers. As early as 1997, Service First provided VMRC consumers with transitional housing services. We would rent apartments, so VMRC consumers would try out, living independently to see if they could live on there on. In 2003, we were having a very difficult time securing housing for VMRC consumers, so we made the decision to build housing. We built Winslow Village apartment, a 40-unit complex, that opened in 2006. In 2017 we built Zettie Miller’s Haven, an 82-unit complex. We provide Coordination of Services at both complexes. The Coordinator of Services job is to introduce generic services, plan activities and provide advocacy for the tenants. Service First rehabbed two complexes, Paulette’s Manor, 16-units and Coventry Apartments, a 46-unit complex. Service First also provides property management services at both complexes.
In October 2006, Service First became owners of their current office Headquarters, 102 West Bianchi Road, Stockton, CA 95207. Along with the building, came the opportunity for a new program, Aquatic Therapy and Wellness. Our program goal is to help patients/clients with disabilities, injuries, and illnesses to decrease pain and increase activities of daily living. We maintain the water temperature between 91-92 degrees, which is therapeutic. Individuals who will benefit from warm water therapy are those who suffer from: Orthopedic & Sports Injuries, Pre/Post Surgery, Trauma, Stroke, Arthritis, Chronic Pain, Amputations, Work Injuries, Neurological and Sensory Disorders, and Special Populations. In October 2015, our Aquatic Therapy Program became Medicare Part B certified. We are now better able to provide services to the Disabled and Elderly client populations. We also feature Swim Lessons and Wellness Classes. On March 1, 2007, following a complete renovation of the building, hiring, training, and marketing, the Service First Aquatic Therapy and Wellness Program began. In 2020 we signed an agreement to open a land based physical therapy program under a franchise agreement with ApexNetwork Physical Therapy Group.
Provides a place to recycle mattresses that are clogging up the landfills, the recycling promotes and meets green environmental standards by removing these unsightly mattresses that are now being dumped all over the city.
After a devastating fire at the Mattress Recycling Program, caused by arson, Service First was forced to close the mattress Center.
May 16, 2019, Service First purchased an office building located at 7 W. Acacia Street. The building is a 4,086 sq. ft. complex. We will complete a major rehab of the building, new painting, floors, roof, bathroom and once the rehab is complete the Acacia building will be the new home of our Representative Payee Services and our Out-Patient Drug Treatment program, the Weber Street office will relocate to the Acacia office.
Vernell Hill, Jr., President/CEO and Founder of Service First of Northern California, has been a licensed realtor for over twenty-eight (28) years, as well as being a broker. Additionally, he is a developer, has been a certified property manager since 1995, and has served as President of the San Joaquin Rental Property Owners’ Association. Since the inception of Winslow Village Apartments, Mr. Hill has been “hands on” with the management of this complex, as well as guiding the rehabilitation of Coventry Apartments and Paulette’s Manor.
Service First is a progressive company, with an eye on future growth. Our programs touch the lives of 2,000 individuals a month. IT’S A GOOD TIME TO BE WITH SERVICE FIRST!
102 West Bianchi Road, Stockton, California 95207, United States
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