Mental Health Resources
In case of an immediate threat or danger, call 911.
Anytime you are feeling misunderstood or overwhelmed and need to talk to someone about what’s happening, especially before you run away or cause harm to yourselves or others. Call or text one of the crisis hotline numbers below first to learn how to handle your current and/or future crises.
Mental health services - ongoing/not crisis
Listed below are additional resources that may help you address problems or challenges that are not as serious or to prevent them from becoming more serious. Sometimes it can be hard to navigate a particular problem, and it is important to get help early and not to feel so alone during those times.
PEERS: a diverse community of people with mental health experiences. Our mission is to promote innovative peer-based wellness strategies. We create culturally-rich, community-based mental health programs that honor diverse experiences and eliminate stigma and discrimination.
(510) 832-7337
Alameda Family Services - provides mental health and case management services at all 15 Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) schools through a referral system in partnership with the school team. Our short-term services are at no cost, take place on campus, and are held within school hours.
https://alamedafs.org/school-based-main.html
AFS’ School-Based Health and Wellness Centers offer mental health services, medical services, case management, health education, and youth leadership development. Services are at no cost, during school hours, and on school grounds. Students can self-refer for all services at SBHCs located at Alameda High School, Encinal High School, and Island High.
CRISIS SUPPORT SERVICES
Crisis Support Services https://www.crisissupport.org/
Counseling Support https://www.crisissupport.org/programs/grief-counseling/
988 24-HOUR Phone Hotline
8AM-12AM 7 DAYS/WEEK
Text “Safe” to 20121
HORARIO ESPAÑOL: 5PM – 9PM MARTES-VIENTES
TEXTEAR “SEGURO” AL NÚMERO 20121
PROGARMS SERVING ADULTS AND YOUTH - GRIEF SUPPORT
Kara Grief Center: https://kara-grief.org/services/peer-support/
Alameda County Crisis Support for Alameda County residents: https://www.crisissupport.org/resources/bereavement/
Circle of Care – East Bay Agency for Children www.ebac.org Alinya Charron, Program Director 510-531-7551 x3109 Support Groups for Families with Children Some services available in Spanish
Sutter Care at Home Support Groups and Bereavement Programs www.Suttercareathome.org Phone: 510-450-8728
Hope Hospice Grief Support Groups www.HopeHospice.com Phone: 925-829-8770 or 1-800-HOSPICE
Eden Information and Referral (Eden I & R) Phone: 888-886-9660
The Contra Costa Grief Center: 1-800-830-5380 Offers support due to loss by suicide, murder and other traumatic loss
YOUTH SPECIFIC GRIEF SUPPORT
Josie’s Place: 415-513-6343 https://josiesplace.org/
Support groups for children of varying ages and parents
Circle of Care: 510-531-7551 https://www.ebac.org/services/circle.asp
Support groups for children and parents. Offers Spanish language services.
Kara: 650-321-5272 https://kara-grief.org/support-for/teens-and-children/
Support for children of varying ages. Offers Spanish language services.
Sutter Health: https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/home-health-hospice/grief-
Snowline Hospice: https://snowlinehospice.org/grief-support/ -Children/Family
bereavement program Healing All Together
Online groups- https://friendsforsurvival.org/meetings
YoloCares: https://yolocares.org/our-services/center-for-loss-hope/
Dougy Center: https://www.dougy.org/
Hospice East Bay: The Bridge Program for Children and Teens, 8-week group, Dawn
Torre, Coordinator 925-887-5678
ADULT SPECIFIC GRIEF SUPPORT
Josie’s Place: https://josiesplace.org/
Young Adult (ages 18-24) Grief Support Group meets on Zoom every 1st and 3rd
Thursday of the month, 7pm to 8:30pm. To register email info@josiesplace.org, go
online https://josiesplace.org/contact, or call 415-513-6343
Kara: https://kara-grief.org/support-for/adults/young-adults/
Group and 1:1 Peer Support for ages 18-35
The Dinner Party (peer support for those ages 21 –45): https://www.thedinnerparty.org/
Kaiser San Francisco: https://hospice-ncal.kaiserpermanente.org/support/after-your-
Under 40(ish) Drop In-Group
PRIVATE THERAPISTS WHO SPECIALIZE IN GRIEF COUNSELING
Sarah Stroe, LCSW – sarahstroelcsw.com (used to be on staff at By the Bay Hospice)
Beth Logan, LCSW – 925-353-0135 (used to be on staff at Hospice East Bay)
Marsha Rusby, MFT (Touchstone Counseling) – 925-932-0150
Eliza Cantor, MA (Blue Oak Therapy Center) – 510-649-9818
Dr. Nicola Wagenberg – 510-698-2491 (accepts Medicare, also speaks Spanish)
ARTICLES, PODCASTS, HANDOUTS AND BOOKS
The Invisible String Book (for young children and families)
Tips for Teens who are grieving
https://www.dougy.org/assets/uploads/Tips-for-Teens-Who-are-Grieving_2023-
"When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens About Grieving & Healing".
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1631984225?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
It's the style of book where you can just read a page or two at a time, quotes from
teens, short sections about a page long about grief from the author. It's not
groundbreaking, but something in print and seeing quotes from other teens might feel
supportive.
The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr: https://youtu.be/vg2cJIrNKGY?si=rPUWSnjrZAi6Q-UV
Alan Wolfelt, Helping Infants and Toddlers When Someone They Love Dies
Child Mind Insitute, Helping Children Deal With Grief: You can't protect your kids from the pain
of loss of a loved one, but you can help build healthy coping
Sesame Street – Grief (Explaining Death to Children)
These resources were developed for military families, but you may find them helpful also
https://sesamestreetformilitaryfamilies.org/topic/grief/?ytid=XI4-8ZQ1PRE
Podcast about coping with grief and loss: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/podcast/coping-grief-loss
Guiding Adults in Talking to Children About Death and Atending Services:
How to Talk to Kids About Death: https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/how-to-be-a-parent/communication/talk-to-kids-death/
Help Toddlers Cope with Grief and Loss (this has examples of questions and answers, behavior
changes, and ways to be supportive to children):
https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/helping-toddlers-cope-with-grief-and-death/ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR ADULTS
Mental Health America: Bereavement and Grief
American Cancer Society: Seeking Help and Support for Grief and Loss https://www.cancer.org/cancer/end-of-life-care/grief-and-loss/depression-and-complicated-grief.html
Vanderbilt University Medical Center: What Do I Say When Someone is Grieving?
https://www.vumc.org/health-wellness/resource-articles/what-do-i-say-when-
Losing a Parent to Death in the Early Years: Guidelines for the Treatment of Traumatic
Bereavement in Infancy and Early Childhood by Alicia Lieberman - This is a clinical book
but may be helpful to some.
CARE Team
Crisis Support Services (24/7)
Call or text: 988
Text Line (8 am - 12 am), every day: text “Safe” to 20121
The Trevor Project, LGBTQ, (24/7)
1-866-488-7386
CARE Team (24/7)
Call APD and request CARE Team at 510-377-8340
Alameda Family Services Youth Advisory Board
The School-Based Health Center Youth Advisory Board (YAB) is a leadership and peer education internship group created for students. Students in YAB discuss and learn about health and mental health topics related to teens and young adults, promote awareness by facilitating events and campaigns, and provide input and guidance to services at the School-Based Health Centers.
We are currently looking for Encinal and AHS 9th graders to join YAB this year, along with a few spots for other grade levels. We are looking for scholars of all grade levels at Island High.
Community Health for Asian Americans (CHAA)
Connecting individuals and families to culturally sensitive behavioral health, youth development and wellness services with special focus on Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities in the Bay Area.
Languages Spoken: Bengali, Bhutanese, Burmese, Cantonese, English, Hindi, Lao, Mandarin, Mien, Mongolian, Nepalese, Rakhaing, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Tibetan, Tongan, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
510-835-2777
1141 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, CA 94502
Alameda County Behavioral Health-Mental Health Services
https://acmhsa.org/prevention-early-intervention/
Information on several local programs that connect to youth and families to help recognize and address early signs of mental illness. The goal is to catch mental health issues in their earliest stages, including access and linkage to services, reducing stigma and discrimination associated with seeking mental health services, and promoting wellness and health outcomes.
Alameda County ACCESS (Acute Crisis Care and Evaluation for Systemwide Services) Line
ACCESS is a telephone service that provides general mental health and substance abuse screening and referrals for Alameda County Medi-Cal recipients. It is staffed from 8:30-5:00 M- F by licensed mental health clinicians. Services include a help line for specialty mental health services, referral for mental health and drug treatment services for identified, and referral to county-wide crisis/mobile team services. After-hours calls are answered by Crisis Support Services of Alameda County.
https://www.acbhcs.org/providers/Access/access.htm
(800) 491-9099
2000 Embarcadero Cove, Suite 400, Oakland, CA
Oakland LGBTQ Center:
This organization offers subsidized, crisis mental health stipends (they will pay all/a part of the cost of services) to low-income LGBTQ+ folks ages 13-25 in need of mental health support and/or struggling with a substance use disorder and/or experiencing violence trauma due to abuse or violence.
To apply for services, you can complete the application found here: https://ww: w.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/copy-of-our-tenant-s-services
510-882-2286
3207 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland CA, 94610
Mental Health Hotline 866-903-3787