Child & Family Mental Health
East Bay Child & Family Mental Health Services
The East Bay Child and Family Mental Health team is comprised of social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and psychiatrists with diverse clinical knowledge who are dedicated to serving the general mental health needs of the adults in the community.
We provide an array of services including assessment, treatment planning, individual and group psychotherapy, crisis management, and clinical case management.
For life threatening emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
| Family Behavioral Clinic | Parenting Skills Workshop | Family Support Program | ADHD Program | Eating Disorders Program |
The Department of Child and Family Mental Health Services has a diverse staff encompassing cultural and multi-lingual capabilities. Our staff consists of clinicians fluent in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Toysanese and American Sign. We are also a multi-disciplinary team with Psychiatrists, Licensed Clinical Psychologists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists.
How to get help
- Call for a consultation: 510-752-1075, option 2
- Schedule Early Assessment appointment
. Information about our services
. 30-minute individual consultation
. Intake appointment for parents - Refer to Parenting Skills Workshop
Where are we?
Mosswood Building
3505 Broadway, 4th floor
Oakland, California 94611
Map and Directions
Do I need a referral?
No. Parents or legal guardians can call for an appointment regarding their child/teen.
Family Behavioral Clinic
The Family Behavioral Clinic works with families experiencing stress in the following areas:
- Behavioral problems at school
- Academic failures
- Disrespectful attitudes at home
- Difficulties getting along with peers
- Attention problems
- Oppositional and Defiant behavior
Each child/adolescent will be evaluated by a clinician. After evaluation families who experience the above problems will be referred to the Family Behavior Clinic.
As part of the program we help parents to develop more effective parenting skills. We also work with children to develop positive peer interactions and conflict management skills.
In order to participate in the clinic programs, we ask that parents attend a 4-session Parenting Skills Workshop offered weekly at no charge. After the completion of the Workshop, families will be referred to different components of the program to address their individual family needs.
Families are welcome to stay in the program for as long as is helpful provided families comply with treatment recommendations. Teens with significant substance use will be referred to Chemical Dependency for evaluation.
The first step to participate in The Family Behavioral Clinic is to attend the Parenting Skills Training Workshop.
Parenting Skills Workshop
4 session weekly program, for parents only, to develop effective behavioral management skills at home.
At the completion of the Workshop, parents will be able to participate in the Family Support Program which includes group programs targeting specific needs of the family and child.
Family Support Program
Parenting Strategies for Children 3yrs – 12yrs
Parent support group to help families develop effective behavioral management design to meet individual family needs as well to support parents to stay consistent in implementing behavior plans at home.
Parenting Strategies for Parents with Teens
Parent support group to help families with teens to develop effective behavioral skills to help meet individual family needs as well to support parents to stay consistent in implementing behavior plans at home.
Social Skills Program
Group focuses on helping children develop appropriate social skills with peers including communication, conflict management, and understanding social cues. (Group co-pay)
Individual Interventions and Family Therapy
Families with particular needs not appropriate for group will be offered family therapy or individual therapy for the children and teens as needed. (Co-pay)
ATTENTION
In order to respond to the larger need, group programs will be offered after school. If individual or family therapy is recommended, sessions will be available primarily during school hours.
ADHD Program
If you answer “YES” to 3 of the 6 questions below, your child might have ADHD.
- Does your child have difficulty following through on instructions and have trouble finishing schoolwork, homework, or chores?
- Does your child have trouble organizing his/her work on time, seem forgetful, and have difficulty listening to others?
- Is your child easily distracted by things such as noises, conversations or even by his or her own thoughts (e.g., daydreaming)?
- Does your child run or climb around excessively in situations where it is inappropriate?
- Does your child often act before thinking or have trouble waiting his or her turn?
- Does your child blurt out things he or she may regret later, or make careless mistakes because of rushing?
Families of children with ADHD tend to experience a lot of stress and this affects the dynamic of the whole family. ADHD is a neurological condition that at times lasts until adult life. ADHD, if left untreated, can lead to failure in school, juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, general depression and anxiety in children. A careful and comprehensive evaluation is highly recommended.
ADHD Program at Oakland Medical Center
- ADHD Evaluation
- ADHD Parent Education Class
- Social Skills Groups
- Teen ADHD Support Group
- ADD Medication Class
Eating Disorders Program
Eating Disorders are complex, life-threatening conditions that require multi-disciplinary, intensive treatment. Early identification and treatment can prevent the condition from becoming more severe and chronic. Without psychological and medical treatment, growth retardation, heart problems, increased risk for bone fractures, and fatal complications can result.
The Eating Disorder team at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Child and Family Psychiatry provide:
- Comprehensive family and individual evaluation
- Coordinated medical monitoring with your child’s pediatrician or through Adolescent Eating Disorders Medical Clinic
- Family and individual therapy
- Nutritional counseling
- Group therapy for teens
- Parent support group
- Medication evaluation by a psychiatrist, if needed
We offer medically necessary outpatient services for children and adolescents with diagnosed eating disorders. We have an “Outpatient Plus” level of care that involves additional appointments for adolescents and families who need more support. Please note that we focus on providing Family-Based Treatment, as this has been the most effective treatment in helping your child recover from an eating disorder. Consistent family and individual participation in treatment is essential, and may involve your child/teen missing school and/or other activities. Our staff will refer adolescents who are not making sufficient progress to an appropriate higher level of care, such as Kaiser Permanente’s Eating Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program.
Goals for our program include: restore your child to a healthy weight, reduce/eliminate problem eating behaviors, develop healthy eating habits and balanced lifestyle, and improve self-esteem/body image.
Parents and adolescents may be either referred by the child’s pediatrician or through self-referral. To schedule a consultation, please call 510-752-1075 (ext. 2) to speak with a therapist briefly about your concerns and to request an appointment with a clinician on the Eating Disorders treatment team.
Contact your child’s pediatrician immediately for following symptoms:
- Fainting
- Dizziness upon standing
- Extremely restricted eating
- Excessive vomiting
- Daily use of diuretics/laxatives
Address
901 Nevin Ave.
Richmond, CA 94801
Medical Office Building 2, 3rd floor
(upstairs from Pediatrics)
Map and Directions
Telephone
510-307-1591
Is your child struggling with issues like these?
- Behavioral problems at school or at home
- Depression or anxiety
- Problems with peers or siblings
- Adjustment to life stresses
- Inattention and hyperactivity
- Family communication difficulties
- Serious emotional problems
- Engaging in destructive patterns of behavior
Childhood and adolescence should be a time of happiness, success at school, and positive relationships with parents and friends. Yet many parents have real concerns about the behavior and emotional development of their children and teens. We also know that many young people experience considerable stress in their lives that may come from a variety of sources.
When mental health concerns begin to interfere with a child’s well-being or a child’s ability to engage in school, play or other activities, important aspects of childhood may be lost. It is our goal to help you assess your child’s condition more accurately, and to treat or prevent any problems that may interfere with their ability to enjoy their childhood.
Families are always involved in the work we do to help children and teens. In our experience, parents and other family members can be the most effective agents of change, though they may at times need to adapt their approach to the specific needs of their child. Some children may benefit from a parental approach to behavior change which may be quite different from the approach that worked well for their older siblings, or for their parents when they were children.
Most of the children treated by us get well without medication. When necessary, medication is also an option. We consult closely with pediatricians, and we can refer your child to a specialist in child psychiatry as needed.
What to Expect
We schedule first visits for teenagers on Thursday mornings from 9am to 12 noon, and for children under 12 years old on Friday mornings from 9am to 12 noon.
Parents/guardians will complete questionnaires and attend a presentation about the type and scope of services we offer. They will also learn about common childhood psychiatric concerns and our approach to treating them.
While adults are in this presentation, children ages 5-11 will be in a group observation similar to a classroom setting. This is an essential part of our diagnostic process, as it allows us to observe patterns of behavior similar to those you may be hearing about from teachers, and to get an initial assessment your child’s overall emotional, academic, and social functioning in a group context.
Adolescents ages 12-17 will meet as a group with therapists to introduce them to our services. In this session, they will receive information about psychiatric conditions and treatment, and the benefits of group therapy treatment. Many of our most effective treatments for teens are delivered through group programs in which the peer influence can be directed to therapeutic ends.
After the group meetings, each family will have an individual session with a Child and Family therapist. At this point, one of our psychologists will conduct a thorough initial assessment, taking into account the material from the observation session (for younger children). In most cases we can present you with an initial plan for treatment by the end of this session.
Many of our most effective treatments are delivered through group programs that meet weekly. We often recommend that parents attend programs designed to train them to implement plans for behavioral change. We also provide individual and family treatments when indicated.
Useful Telephone Numbers
To make an initial appointment, please call 510-307-1640.
Main Department number: 510-307-1591. Call this number to make, change, or cancel appointments if you are already working with one of our clinicians. You can also use the appointment center on kp.org to manage your child’s appointments or communicate with providers.
After-hours crisis line: 925-229-7792
Crisis Services
If you feel that your child is in need of an immediate psychiatric intervention, you can bring your child in to the department any weekday between 9am and 4pm, or call 510-307-1591 and ask to speak with a crisis counselor.
After hours or on the weekends, you can call our regional psychiatric crisis line at 925-229-7792.
At any hour of the day or night, you may bring your child to the Emergency Department and one of our on-call clinicians will come to evaluate your child’s immediate psychiatric needs. In a life-threatening emergency, it is always best to start by calling 911. For instance, if you do not feel you can safely transport your child to the Emergency Department for psychiatric evaluation, call 911 and ask for assistance.
The goal of a crisis evaluation is to help you determine the appropriate level of care for your child and above all to help you keep your child safe. We may recommend a brief hospitalization, or intensification of outpatient therapy. Crisis services can help with immediate stabilization in an emotional crisis, but are no substitute for regularly scheduled treatment sessions.