Alameda Family Services is a human services organization, active in Alameda and the East Bay, whose programs improve the emotional, psychological and physical health of children, youth and families.
Professional therapists in training with licensed supervisors provide brief counseling to families, individual adults, couples and groups. Services are available in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Swiss German, French, and Hebrew. For additional informaton, please view our program brochure. We also provide psychological assessments.
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Services Offered
Behavioral Health Care Services - is comprised of the following programs: Counseling and Clinical Training Program.
Group Therapy -A weekly anger management group for adults is currently offered on Monday evenings. Please call 510-629-6372 for additional information. The cost for the group is based on income with sliding scale fees.
Clinical Training Program - The Clinical Training Program, a part of the Behavioral Health Care Services Program, hosts students from psychology and social work graduate schools and therapists who are collecting hours towards licensure. The training emphasizes a family and community approach to clinical work. We use videotape and narrative reflecting teams in addition to more traditional individual and group supervision. Trainees are matched with programs and supervisors based on areas of interest, ranging from families with young children to teen issues to substance abuse. We have nine trainees and doctoral interns in the program for the 2017-2018 year.
Fees and Payment
The cost for services is based on income with sliding scale fees. Medi-Cal is also accepted. Some families in Alameda are qualified for one no-cost counseling sessions. We are also a non profit agency, check our HOME page for more information.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono Medicare Medicaid
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Qualifying for assistance from California's program usually depends on the severity of your condition and financial circumstance. Read our full guide to California's program.
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.