Crisis Services
The Alameda Community Assessment Response and Engagement (CARE) Team is a mental health crisis response program that provides highly trained Alameda Fire Department (AFD) paramedics to respond to non-violent, mental health crises in the City of Alameda.
This City approved and funded program is a police alternative to mental health crisis response, with the goal of reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room, and creating stabilization plans.
Alameda Family Services (AFS) provides 24/7 On-Call Licensed Clinicians to support the paramedics in the field, with best practice assessments and interventions. In addition, AFS provides intensive follow up Clinical Case Management to support individuals and families with linkages to services and resources that support ongoing stabilization and reduce future crises. There can be a long wait time after a mental health crisis to begin new therapy services due to the lack of available therapists and long wait list times, as well as other obstacles such as needing to apply for Medi-Cal before accessing county services. In response, AFS’ CARE Team developed a clinical training program called Bridge Therapy, which utilizes MSW AND MFT students to provide ~12-16 no cost, supportive therapy sessions while clients are supported in accessing longer term services.
If you are in need of an emergency response for a non-violent mental health crisis, please contact the non-emergency Alameda Police Department (510) 337-8340 or call 911 and ask for The Alameda CARE team.
Unhoused Services and Transitional Housing Mental Health Therapists
Alameda Family Services provides mental health clinicians placed in unhoused and transitional housing programs in the City of Alameda. There, the AFS Clinicians provide mental health assessments, individual, couples and group therapy, milieu support, clinical consultation to staff, and workshops to Dignity Village residents.
Trainings and Consultation
Crisis Services’ staff provide trainings to outside agencies in areas of Crisis De-escalation, Domestic Violence, Substance Abuse Treatment, Motivational Interviewing, and other requested topics. In addition, Staff provides clinical case consultation to outside agencies, including Building Futures for Women and Children.
Enhanced Care Management
Crisis Services’ staff also provide Enhanced Care Management (ECM), a newly offered service for community members living in or near the city of Alameda. ECM is a free benefit for Alameda County Medi-Cal recipients. For more information about ECM click here.