Category: What’s New

We are so pleased to present to you our friends at FERC, who will share their offerings for families across a multitude of services.  Some years ago when the Mental Health Services Act became a reality, the Mental Health Association of Alameda County, under the leadership of Steve Bischoff, NAMI affiliate leaders and county leadership put forth the notion of a comprehensive family resource, with paid staff.  

After a lot of work  negotiating the system and the funding, FERC became a reality.  And that reality includes a real office that is open daily with brochures,  books, warm line, groups and staff that is trained to help.  Our volunteer-based NAMI affiliates  cannot operate nor provide services at that level.

So take a look at their website at https://ferc.org and join us in meeting their staff and learning more about the available services.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82139910105
Meeting ID: 821 3991 0105
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Dr. Demian Rose, Psychiatrist, UCSF PATH program – Wed, May 28, zoom, 7:30-9:00 pm

Dr. Rose has been long associated with the highly-regarded PATH program at UCSF where the focus is on early recognition of and treatment interventions with early signs of psychosis in adolescents and young adults.  Among other topics,  he will be discussing how to conceptualize the use of medications over the lifespan of illness.  Bring your questions.  Dr. Rose’s email address is Demian.Rose@ucsf.edu

Video recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/80X3oGM0CD-6vsLRB7BH3MWMT7R-o15mVaOrElfVATxh03x8V4ZljgvxutOYzPwb.G-AwZIF-4Emd5PYA

Passcode: vBv=e36h

Speaker Notes down below.

4th Wednesday presentation – April 23, 7:30-9:00pm on zoom

Julie Brown, MPH, LCSW will give a presentation on her book Masters of Change, Why today’s most successful individuals learn to harness life’s most challenging moments to become who they want to be.  For those of us in the daunting process of harnessing persistent and pervasive challenges, this is our opportunity to hear from a life coach who can help us with the process.

Recording of Meeting can be found here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/VqnOU3pMLSwnJpi0hhtHx9oV_iIrPXPjkzkUHN0NRcIHs42onaI7WZQ5xkNqBVU3.93Fihl8BAL_L5Mcv

Passcode: $5$D&ag7

Speaker Notes

Join us for an interesting evening about relevant research being done at UCBerkeley presented by Professor Sheri Johnson, PhD, and  our NAMI friend Robert Villanueva, who is a lead member of the Lived Experience Advisory Board for the CALM program.  Dr. Johnson and Robert, who can share about his own lived experience,  will be discussing the current international research project looking at healthy eating plans as supplements to medication.  We will learn about study details and how local consumers can participate on a paid basis

Video Recording of Feb 26 presentation:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/VuBzu2pW5MO-DwA49w4TRabRF9AHQV-v9HPAhCOOXsdbMylLAb7fqLllVUlW2P6t.O4BF2goxVCvbdd1D

Passcode: SZyr7*A0

Speaker Notes

Delivering Evidence-Based Competitive Employment Services:  IPS (Individual Placement and Support) Supported Employment Services

Join us for a discussion with staff members from the Vocational Services division of Alameda County Behavioral Health.  They will be sharing information about supportive services for clients motivated to work.  Highlights will be actionable strategies, grounded in the IPS model, enabling managers to facilitate meaningful competitive employment outcomes.

Jan 22, 2025 07:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Recording of Meeting can be found below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/QFgxZVF-FvJ4CnCuSZlOFq5s6Qe5a3kRbSTNa5JgrYEhCQigeWvRDqYkupZ9628l.rSw3z2dRH-nwsLbV Passcode: Q9D5z4.=

Self Care

Wed,  Dec 4, 7:30-9:00pm on  Zoom

       In recent days, many families have joined the ranks of our families who have loved ones with mental illness and experiencing – with us – the emotional world of sadness, disappointment, coping challenges, anger, frustration, etc.  Welcome to our world – it’s not a fun one.

    NAMI East Bay has been  scheduling its  educational presentations on the fourth Wednesday of each month, which this year falls on holidays. So we’re breaking with habit and scheduling a special evening  zoom event on Wednesday, December 4 on the topic of Self Care – how can we take care of ourselves in stressful times?

    Let’s gather and hear from Diana Winston,  Director of UCLA Mindful and author of many articles and these books: The Little Book of Being, Fully Present, and  Wide Awake.  (www.uclahealth.org/uclamindful).  We will also hear  from Susan Davidson, practitioner of breathing exercises based on James Nestor’s book Breath.  And we will talk about concrete self-care actions  and, most importantly, hear from you.  Come and share how you’re coping.

   The holidays and winter weather bring their own contribution to stress and the addition of dealing with our loved ones and now the election has produced a “perfect storm”.  Join us and feel free to invite non-NAMI friends to participate in our mental health-themed evening.     

Video recording of Dec 4 meeting on Self Care

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/o44ibJnMbkubyCU7CKu90Di6QaxxeOOvsqEdk6vav8myXSmvUX5qKaD6mDpZKXJo.XlI3V6e5nPdBL-9p Passcode: hjj8@Hzu

Mental Illness/Genetics/Environment. 

      October 23. 7:30-9:00, zoom (link below)

     Isabel Zaror, PhD, is the recently-retired Executive Director at Novartis Biomedical Research in Emeryville.  Her presentation will review the basics of genetics and explore the current scientific evidence of how genes play a role in mental illness.  We will discus’s how the environment and upbringing influence the onset of these diseases.  Dr. Zaror  presented to us ten years ago and it will be interesting to hear how things have changed. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/ebrDwEb8m3gkjggriBdEkYeKQLpwAUFwct-rD6tMY5A3g7XaOpJ5-tJjagHV9rpT.aUYlPPTQq9vUf8A8

Passcode: 2^4qHBn=

Wednesday,  September  25, 7:30-9:00pm on zoom.  

We are pleased to have local psychiatrist Alice Feller discuss her book American Madness.  This book is a must-read since Dr. Feller writes not only about Serious Mental Illness and difficulties around diagnosis  but also shares about her personal experiences with clients and the varying contexts in which she has had these experiences.  She gives the history of legislation and pinpoints the issues which she feels are detrimental to the process of providing good care and support to our ill relatives.

Zoom Meeting Recording
Passcode: 3t@%Rhpz 

Speaker Notes.

August 28, 7:30-9:00 pm on Zoom. 

  Stephen Dale, Attorney, will present on Special Needs Trusts. His website at www.dalelawfirm.com is a rich one and contains several educational videos which will be helpful as you consider and/or initiate this process, so crucial in planning for the future of your ill relative.

Recording and Speaker Notes can be found below:

Zoom Recording Passcode: +*F.kmV2