The family support groups which are listed below provide those who attend with the opportunity to ask questions, share their experiences and support each other as they struggle to help and to cope with a family member with a mental illness. Most of the groups are intended for families of an adult with mental illness. There is no charge to attend and information shared at meetings is kept confidential by participants.
Note: Meeting dates, times and places are subject to change; please call before attending.
NAMI Alameda County African American Support Group-Fourth Tuesday, 5:30-7:30pm; 954-60th Street, Suite 10, Oakland. Call the MHA office, 510-835-5010 for more information.
NAMI Alameda County South Alameda County Family Support Group-Second and fourth Tuesday, 7pm, NEW LOCATION-31600 Alvarado Blvd., Union City. Support for the caregivers-we find hope with friends and family who understand. Call Patty Espeseth, MFT, to let us know you're coming. 510-728-1615.
NAMI East Bay Family Support Group-Second Wednesday, 7pm at the Albany United Methodist Church, 980 Stannage Avenue at Marin Avenue in Albany, enter Stannage Avenue door & come upstairs; call 510-524-1250 for more information.
NAMI Tri-Valley Family Support Groups-
Second Monday-7:15-9pm, Livermore Public Library at 1188 S. Livermore Avenue (in the Library Board Room).
Third Monday, 7:15-9pm, Pathways to Wellness, 5674 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 114, Pleasanton. For more information call Marsha McInnis at 925-980-5331 or email marsha_mci@comcast.net. Also see our website-www.nami-trivalley.org.
Berkeley Bipolar Support Group-Every Thursday, 7-9pm & Saturday 11-1pm, Herrick Hospital, Level A, 2001 Dwight Way. Open to both families and to persons being treated for Bipolar Disorder. For more information call Janna Wertz at 510-653-2959 or Mayona Endahl at 510-420-0868.
Berkeley Families Support Group-First and Third Tuesday, 6:30-8:30pm at 2636 Martin Luther King Way, Berkeley. For parents, spouses and partners. Call Marcela Sabin at 510-981-7668 for more information.
Family Caregivers of Older Adults with Mental Ilness-Fourth Thursday of the month, 1-2:30 pm, North Oakland Senior Center. Contact Roberta Tracy at 510-601-1074 for more information or Monica Nowakowski at monicalcsw@comcast.net.
Chinese-Language Family Support Groups-Family Support for Health Minds-Mandarin & Cantonese speaking families meet one Saturday each month from 10am-noon. Meetings are held at 523-8th Street in Oakland. Call 510-522-0924 for more information.
Faith-based Support Group-*New Name*"Hope for the Hurting Families & Friends". *New Time and Location*- 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, 7-9pm at Crosswinds Church, 6444 Sierra Court, Room 104, Dublin. A group for anyone with a loved affected by mental health issues. For more information, contact Pat Ackerman at 925-846-4894 or trishack@comcast.net.
Kaiser Family Education and Support Group-6 week series; Wednesdays, 5:30-7pm, 3900 Broadway, Oakland. Call Cathy Farrell at 510-752-6714 to pre-register. Not a drop-in group. Individual must be a Kaiser member to attend this group.
Family/Caregiver/Provider Support Group-Every Wednesday of the month 6-pm at Fairmont Hospital. 15400 Foothill Blvd., Building C, San Leandro. Call Maurice Fried at 510-895-4369 for more information.
NAMI Tri-Valley/Parent Resource and Support Group-First & third Tuesday of the month 7-9pm, Pathways To Wellness, 5674 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 114, Pleasanton. For parents of minors. Call Suzi Glorioso at 925-443-1797 or email glorios4@comcast.net for more information.
Support Groups intended for families who currently have or have previously had a relative in the named facility
Villa Fairmont Support Group- Every Wednesday at 6pm, 15200 Foothill Blvd., San Leandro; meets in the conference room. Call Maisie Ketron/Ann Elliott at 510-352-9690 for more information.
Support Groups in Alameda County for people who have a mental illness
DBSA Castro Valley-Every Friday, 7:15-8:45pm, Eden Hospital, Conference Room A, 20103 Lake Chabot Road. For more information email dbsa.castrovalley@comcast.net, website www.dbsalliance.org/castrovalley or call Al Pereira, chapter facilitator at 925-462-6415.
DBSA Tri-Valley, Pleasanton-Every Wednesday 7:15-8:45pm St. Clare's Episcopal Church, Classroom 1, 3350 Hopyard Road. For more informatoin email dbsa.trivalley@comcast.net, website www.dbsalliance.org/tri-valleybipolar or call Al Pereira, chapter facilitator at 925-462-6415.
Berkeley Bipolar Support Group-Every Thursday 7-9pm & Saturday 11-1pm, Herrick Hospital, Level A, 2001 Dwight Way. Open both to families and persons being treated for Bipolar Disorder. For more information call Janna Wertz at 510-653-2959 or Mayona Endahl at 510-420-0868.
The Depression and Sadness Support Group-A program of Life Reaching Across to Life Organization-Meets second & fourth Monday, 7:30-9pm, 3833 Peralta Blvd., Suite D, Fremont. For more information call J. "Scotty" Scott at 510-745-9500 or Rev. Barbara Meyers at 510-796-5722.
This listing of support groups is published by NAMI Alameda County which is an organization of relatives-parents, spouses, siblings and children-of people who have a serious mental illness. NAMI Alameda County provides information, education and mutual support to families in Alameda County. It holds educational meetings on the second Thursday of each month beginning at 7:30pm at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley. NAMI Alameda County also publishes the Families Advocate Newsletter. NAMI Alameda County is a program of the Mental Health Associaton of Alameda County.
