The Family Alliance on Mental Illness is an organization of relatives -- parents, spouses, siblings, and children -- of persons who have a serious mental illness.  The Family Alliance provides information, education, and mutual support to families in Alameda County.  The family support groups which are listed below provide those who attend with the opportunity to ask questions, share their experiences, and to support each other as they struggle to help and to cope with a mentally ill family member.  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 Country African American Family Support Group - Fourth Tuesday, 5:30-7:30 pm; 954 60th St., Suite 10, Oakland. Call Steve Bischoff at the MHA office 510-835-5010 for more info.

NAMI Alameda County South Alameda County Family Support Group – Second & fourth Tuesday, 7:00 pm, 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, 7 pm., at the Albany United Methodist Church, 980 Stannage Ave. at Marin Ave. in Albany, enter Stannage Ave. door & come upstairs.  Call 510-524-1250 for more information.

NAMI East Bay Support Group for Families of Children, Adolescents & Teens with mental illness, 3rd Tuesday, 7:00 pm., at the Albany United Methodist Church; call 510-524-1250 for more info.

NAMI Tri-Valley Family/Caregiver Support Groups -

Second Monday, 7:15-9 pm, Livermore Public Library at 1188 S. Livermore Ave. (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, 7-9 pm & Saturday 11-1 pm, Herrick Hospital, Level A, 2001 Dwight Way. Open to both families and to persons being treated for Bipolar Disorder. For more info call Janna Wertz at 510-653-2959 or Mayona Endahl at 510-420-0868.

Berkeley Families Support Group - Every Tuesday, 6:30-8:30 pm at 2636 M.L. King Jr. Way, Berkeley.For parents, spouses and partners. Call Marcella Sabin at 510-981-7668 or 510-812-9375 for more info.       

Family Caregivers of Older Adults with Mental Illness-Fourth Thursday of the month, 1-2:30pm, 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 Healthy Minds–Mandarin & Cantonese speaking families meet one Saturday each month from 10 am-noon. Meetings are held at 523-8th St. in Oakland.  Call 510-522-0924 for more info.

Faith-based Support Group -*New Name* "Hope for Healing Families & Friends" *New Time and Location*-2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month, 7-9pm at Crosswinds Church, 6444 Sierra Court, Room 104, Dublin. A group for anyone with a loved one affected by mental health issues. For more information, contact Pat Ackerman at 925-846-4894 or trishack@comscast.net.

*NEW* Family/Caregiver Support Group- First & third Thursday 5:30-6:30pm, John George Psychiatric Pavilion, 2060 Fairmont Drive, San Leandro, Court House Room. Call Beverly Bergman at 510-835-0188 for more info or email bev@mhaac.org.

Kaiser Family Education and Support Group – 6 week series; Wednesdays, 5:30-7 pm, 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, 6-7 pm at Fairmont Hospital. 15400 Foothill Blvd., Building C, San Leandro. Call Maurice Fried at 510-895-4369 for more info.

NAMI TRI-Valley/Parent Resource and Support Group – First and third Tuesday of the month, 7-9 pm, Pathways To Wellness, 5674 Stoneridge Dr., Ste. 114, Pleasanton. Call Suzi Glorioso at 925-443-1797 or email glorios4@comcast.net for more info.

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 6:00 pm; 15200 Foothill Blvd., San Leandro; meets in the conference room.  Call Maiser 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. Form more information email dbsa.trivalley@comcast.net, website www.dbsalliance.org/tri-valleybipolar or call Al Pereira, chapter facilitator, at 924-462-6415.

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.

The Depression and Sadness Support Group-A program of the Life Reaching Across Life Organization-Meets 2nd & 4th 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.

The Family Alliance on Mental Illness holds educational meetings on the second Thursday of each month; these meetings are currently held beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Eden Medical Center.  The Family Alliance also publishes the monthly Families Advocate newsletter. In addition to sponsoring the Family Alliance, the Mental Health Association has two programs to assist families in their efforts to help their mentally ill relatives; these are the Families Information & Referral Service Telephone (FIRST) and the Family/Caregiver Support Program, call 510-835-0188 for more information.