Resources
If this is a life threatening emergency, we recommend seeking crisis services. Below are resources:
CRISIS
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency with a possibility of danger to self or others, call 9-1-1 and ask for a CIT (Crisis Intervention Training) responder” or call 9-8-8 (National Suicide Prevention Crisis Line), or go to the nearest Emergency Department
Alameda County Crisis Support Services: 1-800-891-5600 (can dispatch Mobile Crisis Team)
Contra Costa County Crisis Support Services: 925-646-2800 (scroll down for a short list of specific resources)
PUBLIC SERVICES
Please Note: County resources are state-funded and the primary users are individuals eligible for MediCal. All behavioral health services are provided on a contract basis with local agencies. Exceptions include crisis emergency help and information. Information and Referral (I&R) help through services such as ACCESS and Eden I&R can be used by non-MediCal individuals. Services such as Wellness Centers are open to all.
If you have private health insurance, please contact your insurer for available behavioral health services.
Hyperlinks are printed in red for your quick access.
ACCESS line: 1-800-491-9099
This is the crucial first step and point of contact for accessing non-crisis county services. Licensed mental health clinicians will assist and provide an overview of available services, eligibility, and referral processes.
ACBH Crisis Services: 510-891-5600
They will determine the most appropriate outreach or mobile crisis team to respond to your situation. Mobile Crisis Teams dispatched through this crisis number or 9-1-1 will assess the need for a 5150 (72-hour hold) or 5585 (72-hour hold for a minor). The In-Home Outreach Teams (IHOT) are county-funded teams with the mission to engage clients with the goal of getting them into treatment.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES:
For our Contra Costa readers.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES
Note: This short list of resources does not reflect the total array of Contra Costa County services. Contact NAMI Contra Costa County services for more information: 925-942-0767 for info about local consumer supports, clubhouse, etc.
ACCESS line (for non-crisis services): 1-888-678-7277
Contra Costa County Warmline: 925-465-3864
Contra Costa County Crisis Services: 24 hour, 925-646-2800
Contra Costa County Mobile Crisis Response Team: 833-443-2672
The following information is most relevant to residents of Alameda County:
Children & Adolescents
Children’s Hospital, Oakland (ages 0-11): 510-428-3240
Willow Rock Psychiatric Hospital, San Leandro for Adolescents (ages 12-17): 510-895-5502
Crisis stabilization & psychiatric treatment.
Elders
Geriatric Assessment Response Team (ages 60+): 510-383-5020 or email infoacbh.aoasoc@acgov.org
Hayward location offers brief behavioral health care with goal of resolving immediate mental health needs.
Family & Friends
FERC (Family Education Resource Center):
This is a program offered by the Mental Health Association of Alameda County and funded by Mental Health Service Act monies. It is a staffed resource center, and their website contains some comprehensive sections on hospitalization, incarceration, and medications. Located at 7677 Oakport, suite 100 in Oakland 888-896-3372 with sites in Livermore 520-435-8107 and Fremont 510-790-1010.
HOSPITALIZATION AND ALTERNATIVES
Also known as John George Psychiatric Pavilion, this site is part of the Alameda Health System and offers Psychiatric Emergency Services, along with an inpatient unit. John George Consumer Assistant Specialist: 1-800-779-0787. Patient information: 510-346-7500. There is a Family Advocate service located in the lobby of John George and her services can be useful in understanding the hospitalization process: 510-835-0188. Located at 2060 Fairmont in San Leandro.
Patients’ Rights Advocates: 510-508-0899, 510-835-5010
Offers patients investigations, monitoring, and representation at hearings.
Villa Fairmont: 510-352-9690
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center in San Leandro with intensive inpatient services often used as a step-down from a psychiatric facility and generally accessed through a referral from that facility.
Crisis Residential Treatment:
Amber House, Oakland 510-379-4179
Woodroe Place,Hayward. 510-357-3562
Jay Mahler Recovery Center., San Leandro 510-357-3562
These are short-term residential facilities run by Bay Area Community Services – BACS – www.bayareacs.org. (Amber House and Woodroe Place) and Telecare – www.telecare.org (Jay Mahler)
Clients are either stepping down from hospital-level services or working to stabilize and avoid psychiatric hospitalization. They accept Medi-cal and require a clinical referral. …see referral form at BACS website.
Sausal Creek: 510-437-2363
Outpatient stabilization clinic located at 3620 26th Ave in Oakland. Requires referral from ACCESS for non-emergency service.
Sally’s Place: 510-963-9849
This is a peer respite, voluntary short-term non-clinical crisis support site. Contact sallysplace@lafamiliacounseling.org
MULTILINGUAL HELP
510-745-1680
Asian Mental Health Services: 510-735-3939, 510-735-3900
Services are culturally sensitive and offered in multiple languages.
Centers originated with the goal of offering culturally-sensitive mental health services to the South Asian communities in 14 different languages. Locations in Richmond, Fremont, Pittsburg, Pleasanton, and Fremont offering services in 14 different languages. Open to all.
La Clinica (Casa del Sol): 510-535-6200
Offers support in Spanish. Located at 1501 Fruitvale in Oakland.
Nonprofit with mission to raise awareness of mental health through advocacy, education and resources
CITY-SPECIFIC SERVICES
City of Alameda:
Alameda CARE (Community Assisted Response and Engagement) is run by the fire department and is available 24/7 as an alternative response to individual in non-violent status. 510-337-8340 (thru the police non-emergency line).
Berkeley:
While it is part of ACBHCS, Berkeley maintains its own department for city residents:
Berkeley Mental Health: 510-981-5290.
Berkeley Mobile Crisis Team: 510-981-5254
Oakland:
MACRO (Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland) deals with issues around homelessness and mental health behaviors where police involvement is not necessary. Contact through 9-1-1 or 3–1-1 (multi-lingual).
MH First, 510-999-9641. A new model for non-police response to mental health crisis
PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION
Felton Early Psychosis Institute: 510-318-6100
A non-profit treatment facility that relies on evidence-based practices that are particularly useful with interventions in early psychosis. Located in East Bay at 1005 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda and in San Francisco at 1500 Franklin Street, San Francisco.
UCSF Psychiatry / UCSF PATH Program for Early Psychosis: 415-476-7278
FAMILY-RELATED SERVICES
510-697-8533
This is a program of the Mental Health Association of Alameda County. Support group is offered the 4th Tuesday of every month at 5:30pm on Zoom, email AAFOP@mhaac.org for link to join.
NAMI affiliates:
There are four NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) affiliates in Alameda County. All are open to county residents. There are overlaps in goals and services but each is somewhat unique.
NAMI Alameda County: 510-334-7721
NAMI East Bay: 510-524-1250 (you are here)
NAMI South County, Fremont site: 510-969-6479
NAMI Tri-Valley, Livermore site: 925-980-5331
NAMI Contra Costa: 925-942-0767
DIRECT PEER/CONSUMER SERVICES
Wellness Centers:
Day programs, open to all, which offer a place for individuals to gather and engage in recovery-oriented activities. They are free and available to all individuals, covered by insurance or not.
Voluntary free drop-in day programs with sites in Berkeley and Oakland with a variety of activities and programs. Not limited to county clients.
Offers four sites in Hayward, Oakland, South County and TriValley. From the BACS website, follow “Intentional Services” link to “Wellness Hubs”.
GROUPS FOR CONSUMERS
NAMI offers peer-run support groups for individuals with mental illness. NAMI Alameda County for example offers a group on Tuesday evenings. Email Kathryn.l@namialamedacounty.org for more info.
PEERS (Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services): PEERS offers groups for those with a psychiatric diagnosis, as well as classes in preparing a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP).
Depression Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): There is a weekly DBSA group in Berkeley open to both consumers and family members.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): There are quite a few groups for individuals with OCD like Bridge Center Therapy and IOCD.
PUBLIC BENEFITS
Homeless Action Center: 510-775-0035
Oakland and Berkeley offices do public benefit advocacy.
Hawkins Center: 510-232-2611
Social Security Advocacy Center in Richmond that represents and helps clients with accessing public benefits.
HOUSING
Eden Information & Referral: Call 2-1-1
This general access line is pretty comprehensive. Housing options are meager but this source does have an overview of what’s out there. Try the contact information in the next entry.
From their Alameda County’s website, look at Homeless Initiatives and Efforts. This site has links to many services.
Berkeley Food and Housing Project: 510-649-4965
This is a group of families creating permanent homes for people with mental health needs so they can live with community, purpose and dignity. It is based on the community land trust model where there is a co-investment in properties.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
A local, well-informed and devoted activist advocacy group that is working for system improvement. Their online discussion group provides a wealth of information.
Out of County/State Resources: go to www.nami.org and use filters to find NAMI affiliates located in the desired area. Contact those affiliates for more information about local resources.
A global organization raising awareness of a range of ways to manage internal distressing, confusing, or difficult voices for individuals who hear voices, see or sense things that others don’t, or have other extreme or unusual beliefs. HVN encourages a more positive response to voice-hearing and related experiences in healthcare settings and wider society. It stresses working partnerships with families, professionals, community allies. They provide local resources and support meetings.
Patients’ Rights Advocates: 510-508-0899, 510-835-5010
Offers patients investigations, monitoring, and representation at hearings.
Adult Protective Services (APS): 1-833-401-0832
California Department of Social Services help for adults over age 60 or with a disabilities who are victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation.
How To Find a Therapist:
From Psychology Today’s website, click on “finding a therapist” link where filters can help sort by locale, specialty, etc.
Dog Fostering Services:
Sometimes pets need care while their people are in treatment. Try Milo Foundation or Hopalong (Marin County).
PRIVATE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES
NOTE: These are private companies or organizations listed for information purposes only. We are not in a position to endorse them or their services.
Membership-based program providing knowledge and skills to families with loved ones struggling with addiction.
IMT Associates: 510-352-6000
A professional fiduciary and case management organization located in San Leandro that offers a range of services.
Peninsula Counseling & Consulting: 651-644-4454
Serving the greater San Francisco Bay Area and run by private case management social worker Ryan Gardner. His email is ryangardnerlcsw@gmail.com
Proxy Parent Foundation: 714-997-3310
This 501(c)(3) company works with families to develop a PLAN (Planned Lifetime Assistance Network).
Nurse-owned and operated addiction and recovery residence in Berkeley.
HELPFUL WEBSITES
For information about specific mental disorders, medications, etc. Follow links to specific states and counties for information about local affiliates and resources.
National advocacy organization working to reduce barriers to the treatment of mental illness.