Resource Guide
Mental Health and Resilience Resource Guide click here . (This resource guide was created as a companion to the December 2020 Mental Health and Resilience Conference at Berkshire Community College.)
Peer Support and Advocacy
NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness
About NAMI Berkshire County
The mission of The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Berkshire County, a community based, non-profit organization, is to support, educate and advocate for all those in Berkshire County whose lives are affected by mental illness. NAMI Berkshire County provides information, referrals, classes, workshops, support groups, and advocacy to family members and caregivers of people living with mental illnesses. We assist children, adults and families with mental health questions by accessing resources and services that promote understanding and recovery. That may mean referrals to the local agencies, support groups and classes for family members and caregivers of individuals living with mental illnesses.
For the link to NAMI’s Berkshire County website click here . Contact us at 413-443-1666 or namibc@namibc.org. Our office is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Other hours by appointment. All inquiries are confidential, and there is no charge for the assistance you receive.
NAMI Berkshire County provides information, referrals, classes, workshops, support groups and advocacy to family members and caregivers of people living with mental illnesses throughout Berkshire County. For more information on our programs, select the applicable pages from the drop-down menu above or the links below.
I have a mental health diagnosis.
I’m a friend or family member.
What is Family-to-Family:
Family-to-Family is a class for families, partners and friends of individuals over age 18 living with a mental illness. The free course is designed to facilitate a better understanding of mental illnesses, increase coping skills and empower participants to become advocates for their family members. The course is taught by trained family members who have lived with this experience, and will include current information about self-care, communication skills and making choices for recovery.
What is the Family Support Group:
NAMI Berkshire County’s free Family Support Group is for family members of someone living with mental illness. The group is facilitated by a trained family member, and participants learn from each other’s experiences, share coping strategies, and offer mutual encouragement and understanding.
Location: Currently being held virtually via Zoom due to COVID-19. If you are interested in participating, please email namibc@namibc.org by 3:30 p.m. on the Wednesday before the meeting for the meeting login information.
Treatment Programs
Brien Center
Community Services
The Brien Center’s Community Services, which serve adults age 18 and older, include:
- Adult Community Clinical Supports (ACCS),
- Residential and Integrated Team Structure
- Adult Day Health. The Brien Center is an approved provider for most public and private health insurance plans. A sliding fee scale is offered for those who have no health insurance.
For the link to The Brien Center’s Community Services click here
Acute Care and Residential
The Brien Center’s Acute Care and Residential Programs include the following:
- The Emergency Services Program (ESP)/Crisis Team provides crisis assessment, intervention and stabilization services around-the-clock, every day of the year to individuals of all ages who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis and who may be at risk of harming themselves or others. The Brien Center’s ESP/Crisis Team provides Mobile Crisis Intervention services to both youth and adults as an integral part of their comprehensive behavioral health crisis services continuum.
- Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) functions as a walk-in clinic for individuals who are suffering from a mental health crisis, who are not in imminent danger, and who require urgent outpatient behavioral health services.
- Adult Community Crisis Stabilization Programs (CCS) – Pomeroy House provides staffed, secure, safe, and structured crisis stabilization and treatment services in a community-based program that serves as an alternative to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization for individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders.
- Adult Respite Services Program – Brenton House provides adults with behavioral health needs with a temporary group living arrangement and support services as they stabilize and integrate into the community.
For the link to The Brien Center’s Acute Care and Residential Programs click here
The Brien Center is an approved provider for most public and private health insurance plans. A sliding fee scale is offered for those who have no health insurance.
Contact: 413-499-0412
For the link to The Brien Center website click here
Clinical and Support Options
From the Clinical and Support Options website: Our core competencies lend themselves to the development of a “one-stop” model of comprehensive, holistic services to individuals and families with multiple and complex issues. Our long experience with people who have all kinds of disabilities and behavioral health problems leads us to believe that there are no individuals or families we cannot serve well. Our expertise, in a nutshell, is supporting people in their progress toward self-sufficiency no matter what challenges they face on that journey. For the link to the website click here.
ServiceNet
According to its website: “ServiceNet is a non-profit human service agency that provides essential services to people living with mental illness, developmental delay or disability, brain injury, homelessness, addiction, and other challenges. Whether you or your family need help with a temporary concern or with a longstanding issue, we are ready to listen and to offer you options to consider.” For the link to the ServiceNet website click here
ServiceNet provides the following services:
Addiction Services click here
Brain Injury Services click here
Child and Adolescent Services click here
Counseling and Psychiatry Services click here
Developmental Services click here
Mental Health Recovery Services click here
Shelter and Housing click here
Vocational Services click here
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration)
SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.
Also visit the online treatment locators.
Suicide Prevention
Please see Main Menu click here
Other
Online Screening
Mental health issues can affect you or those around you. This screening can provide information in recognizing symptoms and how to access help. This could be your first step in getting back your life.
Mass Help
Connects people to the help they need. Serving all of Massachusetts, Mass 2-1-1 connects people with community, health and disaster services through a free 24/7 stigma-free phone service and searchable database.
Critical Mental Health Resources for College Students
This resource provides college students with quality information on maintaining good mental health and helps with identifying mental health issues.
On-Line Resource for College Mental Health
Your confidential resource for college mental health and substance-abuse information. Learn more about how to protect your own emotional health and what to do if you or a friend is struggling.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy, and to reaching out to people with mental disorders and those impacted by suicide.
The Jed Foundation
The Jed Foundation works to reduce emotional distress and prevent suicide among college students. They provide resources and work to reduce the stigma students have when asking for help.
National Institute of Mental Health
Learn about mental health issues you or a friend might be struggling with. Mental health diagnoses are listed to help you identify specific symptoms you are experiencing. Information from anxiety to suicide is available.
Substance Use & Addiction Issues
Alcohol Screening
Learn about alcohol and health, how to recognize a problem and determine what low-risk drinking is.
National Institute for Drug-Abuse
Lists all effects of all substances, clinical trial information and has links to other pertinent websites
Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Become informed about substances, treatment programs, and campaigns addressing the needs of every age group.