Our umbrella organization, Special Service for Groups, Inc. (SSG), was founded in 1952. Decades later, in 1975, SSG launched OTTP in Los Angeles. In 1999, that model made its way to San Francisco when Colleen Devine, MS, OTR/L, previously OTTP-LA's Division Director, set out to bring the same approach to underserved youth in the Bay Area.
With a grant through TANF from the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department, Colleen turned a broom closet at Ida B. Wells High School into OTTP-NorCal's very first office, bringing on a part-time occupational therapist and social worker to get started.
What began with two occupational therapists and a part-time social worker has grown into a team of over 90 licensed mental health professionals and support staff, now serving more than 1,000 youth and families each year. Today, we operate out of offices in San Francisco, Oakland, and Sacramento, with programs reaching over 100 locations across Northern California.
Our team brings together occupational therapists specializing in mental health, psychotherapists, social workers, and psychiatric nurse practitioners, all working from a shared commitment: personalized care that honors each young person's unique experiences, strengths, and goals.
To learn more about our team, click here.
As our reach has grown beyond San Francisco, so has our name, from OTTP-SF to OTTP-NorCal, reflecting the broader communities we now call home.
We support youth ages 2–25 who are navigating mental health challenges, the effects of trauma, learning disabilities and developmental delays. This includes youth who are receiving special education services, navigating the foster care or juvenile justice systems, pregnant or parenting, or facing financial hardship.
We serve at over 100 locations, including our 3 offices, throughout Northern California.
For an in-depth overview of where we work, explore our programs page.
OTTP-NorCal Programs →Through Occupational Therapy, Psychotherapy, Social Work, and Medication Management, we help young people build the skills, coping strategies, and support systems they need to navigate everyday life and achieve their goals.
Read more about our clinical services on our Services page.
The youth we serve are most often connected to our services through collaborative partnerships with schools, the Department of Public Health Behavioral Health Services, and trusted community-based organizations.
