What We Offer
NAMI East Bay
Support groups
Group for families of youth/young adults – 3rd Tuesday of each month
Group for families of adults – 2nd Wednesday of each month
Groups meet at 7pm in our office, upstairs at the First Methodist Church in Albany, 980 Stannage Ave, at Marin. Come in through the side gate, through the multipurpose room, turn left down the hall and come upstairs. There will be posted signs.
These are drop-in groups for family members – just come on in…no need to call first.
General meetings
Speaker/educational meetings are held every other month, on the 4th Wednesday from 7:30-9:00pm, in the multipurpose room at the Albany Methodist Church. Our speaker committee strives to bring in experts in the many areas involving mental illness – research, housing, alternative interventions, medications, county system and agency services. Periodically, we have a popcorn and video presentation.
Newsletter
Our 6-page newsletter comes out at the beginning of every other month. Content highlights announcement of the next general meeting and complete minutes of the previous speaker presentations, along with community news updates.
Family to Family Class
This 12-week 30 hour class is offered annually in the winter months, with a class sometimes scheduled for the fall in Oakland. Announcements are made in the newsletter and pre-registration is required. Taught by trained volunteers, the class is offered to adults who have a relative or loved one with a mental illness. The class provides information about major mental illnesses, medications and the brain, advocacy, and skills training in communication, problem solving, empathy and self care. A highlight is a guest speaker panel of consumers.
Lending library
Our little library has books and DVDs to lend out and brochures, pamphlets and written material to take home.
Email/phone contact
Calls and emails to the office are responded to by volunteers. We have no paid staff.
Annual picnic/Solano Stroll
Members and readers are invited to join us at our fall picnic, held in a local park. We generally also have a booth at the annual Solano Stroll, and you’re invited to come meet us and join our table.
Networking/Interest Groups
We are continually encouraging and open to the exploration of new ideas and will provide space, outreach and structure to the formation of discussion groups. Some recent examples have been groups forming around the Hearing Voices Network, Family WRAP, Housing and Long Term Care options.
Hearing Voices Network – Support Group Alternative Based on the Hearing Voices movement, this is a monthly group for family members specifically to learn and explore compassionate alternatives and approaches to being with, understanding, and supporting our loved ones who experience voices, special messages, and extreme states. Meets the third Thursday of the month, 6:30-8 pm. All welcome.