NAMI Contra Costa

Month: September 2023

  • September 2023 General Meeting

    Summary

    For our September 2023 General Meeting, we invited client and family member perspectives on how the A3 Miles Hall Community Crisis Hub behavioral health crisis response program services were going. We had invited two of the UC Berkeley School of Public Health graduate student research team members – Theo Michaels and Dani MacVicar, in charge of the qualitative data collection, and Amanda Brewster, one of the faculty members leading the project. We used your feedback to understand how the A3 Miles Hall Community Crisis Hub was doing and to see if it had met the community standards for what we had hoped for. We needed your input to make recommendations in an interactive discussion. We wanted to take that opportunity to hear from families!

    The researchers briefly presented their project and then broke out into groups to hear your stories. If you wanted to participate in interviews afterward, we scheduled a time to meet. Those who agreed to this next round of interviews were provided with a $30 gift card for their time. Interviews included questions about your experiences with A3. Participation was voluntary, and you could change your mind at any time and withdraw from the study. To learn more or to participate, please email Dani MacVicar at dmacvicar@berkeley.edu.

    Time was allowed for individuals to ask questions.

    September 2023's General Meeting Flyer

  • NAMI Contra Costa Office Hours Update 2022

    Starting December 7, 2022 – New Safety Protocols in Effect

    Our groups will be held on Zoom (please visit our Zoom page for our listing of online groups). Also, some of our groups will start being hybrid Zoom/in-person groups. To find out if your group is going to be in-person, please contact the group leader.

    Should you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 925.942.0767 or email us at info@namicontracosta.org.

    The NAMI Contra Costa will be closed December 26th and January 2nd in observance of Christmas and New Year’s Day.
    Should you need to reach us on those days, please call (925) 942-0767.

  • September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

    September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

    Join us on September 23 for our 3rd Annual “Know the Signs: Remembering Those We’ve Lost” Event at Contra Loma Park, Antioch

    9:30 am Contra Loma Regional Park, 1200 Frederickson Ln, Antioch NEAR THE LAGOON AREA.

    Please join us for a compassionate engagement of diverse speakers talking through a lived experience lens lifting the names of our loved ones lost to suicide with a special emphasis on our youth. We will provide symbols of hope to attendees. We’ve invited spiritual and multi-faith leaders, community members and representatives from local schools. We will raise awareness of the “Knowing the Signs” program and the new 988 Crisis Line. Grief Counselors will be available.

    White Doves will be released in remembrance of our loved ones lost too soon.
    Should you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 925.942.0767 or email us at info@namicontracosta.org.

  • Cri Campbell Schine – 2nd Vice President

    Cri Campbell Schine – 2nd Vice President

    Dr. Campbell Schine received a B.A. in Psychology with an emphasis in Ethnic Studies from U.C. Davis, and an M.A. and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley. She owns Schine Enterprises and is the co-founder of MDUSD Parents for Multicultural Education.

    Dr. Campbell Schine serves on the Executive and Fundraising committees for NAMI CC. She serves on the Executive Team as the VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for her local PTSA, and in advisory and leadership roles for Greater Mt. Diablo Moms Demand Action, the Miles Hall Foundation, and The Natalie Project (#themtoo).

    Email: cri@namicontracosta.org
    Phone: (925) 942-0767

  • Al Farmer – Director

    Al Farmer – Director

    Retired Chevron:  Graduate Stanford, BS Petroleum Engineering; Northwestern University, MBA. Past President NAMI-CC, NAMI-CC  Warm Line.

    Phone: (925) 942-0767

  • Vacant – 1st Vice President

  • Stephanie Taddeo – Director

    Stephanie Taddeo – Director

    Retired middle school Social Studies teacher from Los Angeles, advocating for students transitioning from elementary to high school. She volunteered with Vitas Hospice and at A Baby’s Breath in the Philadelphia area, and for 2 years was a full-time caregiver to a family member battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia who received a bone marrow transplant. She became acquainted with NAMI after Tyrell Wilson was killed by a Danville police officer while experiencing a mental health episode. She co-organized an organ donor drive in Tyrell’s name and later joined the 40 Voices Campaign for the AAHWRC in CCC.
    (831) 521-9785

  • LaTanyua Brown-Thompson – President

    LaTanyua Brown-Thompson – President

    Author and Speaker; Disability Consultant; Community Advisory Board (CAB): Chair for CAB Program and Service Subcommittee; Castro Advisory/Stake Holder Board; Facilitator Certificate with World Impact & The Trauma Healing Institute; Mental Health First Aid; Mental Health Advocate and Coach with Green Heart University; Life Coach for Men & Women of Purpose.

    Phone: (925) 942-0767

  • NAMI Contra Costa has been Honored as the 2023 Nonprofit of the Year!

    Gigi Crowder and Ashley Ciullo of NAMI CC attended the 2023 Non Profit of the Year Awards Lunch Ceremony at the State Capitol Wednesday, June 7, 2023. NAMI Contra Costa was honored with the Nonprofit of the Year honor by Assemblymember Tim Grayson. NAMI CC was among an exclusive group of nonprofits honored by California legislators for the great work these agencies are doing in their respective regions.

    The California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits) celebrated our efforts and outstanding achievements along with the work of other nonprofit honorees from across the state. Nonprofit of the Year is an opportunity to celebrate the government-nonprofit partnerships that support our economies and our communities.

    For the past eight years, legislators from across California have chosen a Nonprofit of the Year in their district in celebration of California Nonprofits Day. We at NAMI CC are proud of this amazing honor and we are committed to continuing to improve outcomes for those impacted by mental illness in our county and beyond.

  • Basics Class Starting Soon

    NAMI Basics is a free, six-session program designed for parents and other family caregivers of children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral difficulties. No diagnosis necessary. Learn about the illnesses that are causing challenges, and the critical role families play in the treatment of those illnesses. Other topics covered include red flags, communication approaches, and school issues. The program is taught by trained teachers who are also the parents or family caregivers of individuals who experienced emotional or behavioral difficulties during childhood or adolescence.

    The upcoming class will be held in person from TBD for 6 weeks at the NAMI Contra Costa office, 2151 Salvio Street, Suite V Concord, CA 94520.

    For information or required Pre-Registration for BASICS Education Program.
    Contact Marie at mariekamali@gmail.com or call 925-262-3404.

  • I’m A Winner!

    Presented by Gigi Crowder, MHFC Trainer, NAMI CC Executive Director

    This training event is designed to provide educational information to support African American students to thrive in settings not designed in their best interest. We hope to foster a better understanding of how systemic racism and discrimination impacts African American children. You will hear stories from community members as we share community defined strategies and advance our efforts to partner with churches as they commit to being “Mental Health Friendly Congregations” with the primary goal to assist in dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline.

  • African American Uplift Program

    In August 2020, we were awarded a Peer Workforce Investment grant from the California Department of Healthcare Services (DHCS). This was made possible by Governor Newsom signing SB 803, which allows peers and family members to bill Medi-Cal as service providers, honoring their lived experience. The funds received will allow us to do the important work of lifting up the voices and supporting African Americans impacted by mental illness by offering non-clinical mental health services. This is the first time that a program like this has been funded to specifically support the African American community.

    The African American Uplift Program will utilize a community-defined, culturally responsive, approach designed to promote ownership for all African American residents of Contra Costa. It is well-documented that African Americans impacted by mental illness experience glaring disparities due to systemic racism.

    African Americans make up only 10% of the population in Contra Costa County, yet African American males typically make up over 40% of the county’s mental health criminal justice population.

    African Americans also have a 5-7 year delay in receiving a mental health diagnosis. Both of these issues sadly result in African Americans being criminalized for living with a medical condition.

    Our program will work to reduce these disparities. At NAMI CC we recognize that there is a critical need to go beyond removing language barriers, cultural barriers and institutional barriers, which would improve outcomes for these under-resourced and often neglected communities.

    On January 20, 2022, we introduced the staff, share our goals and objectives, and the importance of building community trust and wellness. There will be breakout rooms to promote community input, to embrace and honor additional ideas.

    All this said, we encourage all to watch the African American Uplift Program launch video.

    Second PWI video

  • Donate to NAMI CC via PayPal or By PayBee!

    NAMI Contra Costa has signed up with PayPal and PayBeefor your donating convenience. While PayPal is well known, you must have an account to utilize their services. PayBee does not need an account and utilized either debit/credit cards or ACH bank transfers.

    All of our programs, classes and services are free. We rely on the generosity of the community to allow us help those who need it, may it be through our Basics class or Connection, a peer-led support group. Thank you.

  • 2021 Multicultural Outreach Award!

    Under the steadfast leadership of our Executive Director Gigi Crowder and our Board of Directors, NAMI Contra Costa has strived to reach out to communities that fall through the cracks. It started with the Latino community then the Mandarin abd AAPI community. With a new emphasis on the African American community, the hard work put for by our volunteers and staff has gotten noticed.

    NAMI CC has been selected by the NAMI National’s Board of Directors as the recipient of the 2021 Multicultural Outreach Award. This award honors effective efforts to ensure that diversity and inclusion are high priorities within NAMI. This award will be showcased at NAMICon 2021 Virtual, scheduled for July 27 – 28, 2021. Visithttps://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Attend-the-NAMI-National-Conventionn to learn more about this convention.

    NAMI CC strives tirelessly to be as inclusive as possible. We are appreciative and honored to be bestowed this recognition.

    NAMI Contra Costa’s Board of Directors and Staff

  • Special Announcement About the ADA

    NAMI Contra Costa has always strived to be inclusive. One area that has always been difficult is the website. Many people have unique visual needs to that make their web viewing difficult. With the help of Accessible, we can now have the tools to make our website easier for them.

    In the lower right-hand corner of your browser window, click the blue circle with the person in it. In the pop-up window, you can now choose how to change the website setting that best suits you. There are many options to choose from, including:

    Seizure Safe Profile
    Cognitive Disability Profile
    Adjust Font Size
    Adjust the Contrast
    Use A Magnifier
    And Much More!
    Should you have any questions about using this feature, please email Sean Kleen at sean.kleen@namicontracosta.org.

  • Mental Health Awareness Ribbon Campaign

    NAMI Contra Costa, in partnership with the Miles Hall Foundation, is launching its First Annual Mental Health Awareness Ribbon Donation campaign. We will be distributing these beautiful ribbons of hope to bring awareness about how mental illness impacts individuals and their families.

    To participate in this effort, we are asking you to make your request for a ribbon to place on a tree in your front yard, on your mailbox, your front door or anywhere it can be visible. We are suggesting a $20.00 donation (of course you can give more) to offset our expenses. Simply use our “Donate” link below and make your donation. Ensure you type NAMI CC Ribbon Campaign in the “Other” field. You can also mail in a check to NAMI CC Ribbon Campaign, 2151 Salvio Street, Suite V. Concord, CA 94520.

    If you have questions please contact Gigi R. Crowder, L.E. at gigi@namicontracosta.org for more information.