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For people living with mental health challenges including caregivers and others interested. Here you will find documents to assist with advance care planning for serious illness including a mental health crisis, conversation guides, and links to helpful resources including videos. These new and innovative advance care planning tools and resources, were produced by collaboration between the Behavioral Health Division, County of Sonoma (BHD), the Community Network for Appropriate Technologies, the Coalition for Compassionate Care of CA (CCCC), and Goodwill Redwood Empire. This section of our website was added in late 2018 thanks to funding from the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF).

ACCESS California

ACCESS California is a statewide consumer-led public mental health advocacy program of Cal Voices. ACCESS is funded by the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA/Prop. 63). Founded in 1946, Cal Voices is the oldest continuously operating peer-run consumer advocacy agency in California. Here you can find more information about MHSA, ACCESS Ambassadors, policy and resources, past webinars, how to advocate, and advocacy ... Read More

Advanced Care Planning Cornerstones: An Overview

This user-friendly overview clarifies the nature of advance care planning and the advance health care directive. It gives guidance for choosing a health care agent and other tips for doing advance care planning. Special emphasis on being prepared, staying in control and exercising your right to live your life, your way – now, with serious illness including mental illness and at the end of life. Advanced Care Planning Cornerstones ... Read More

Breakdown of Mental Health in California

CalMatters has done outstanding work related to the Breakdown of Mental Health in California. In May 2019 they hosted/recorded a video cast Mental Health Panel titled Hope on the Horizon, Reimagining Mental Health in California that is timeless and well worth watching. This nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture based in Sacramento is committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters spanning a full range of issues impacting daily life. CalMatters team of experienced ... Read More

Conversation Guides: Approaching the subject, language to consider

There are a number of helpful guides for entering into the conversation about serious illness and end of life issues. The following were created by the Community Network to assist those working with people with mental health challenges and include: Some Ice Breakers: Having Difficult Conversations Advance Care Planning Cue Card ... Read More

County of Sonoma Warm Line

Call (707) 565-2652 for free and private support if you or someone you know is experiencing emotional stress and anxiety during COVID-19.Seven days a week 10:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m.

Goodwill-Redwood Empire

Goodwill~Redwood Empire (GRE) was founded in 1974 and is one of the largest non-profit organizations in the North Bay Region encompassing Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt and Trinity counties. Leadership staff with the GRE Interlink Self-Help Center and the Wellness and Advocacy Center have been assisting with development of publications and trainings created by the Community Network specifically for people with mental health challenges. ... Read More

Helpful Video Clips

As part of the clinicians and peer support workers training, we created an annotated listing of YouTube and other web videos that are helpful for people wanting to learn more about advance care planning, palliative care, psychiatric advance directives, having difficult conversations and other such topics. This Video Resources Paper with hotlinks to these web-based resources can be downloaded here. Video Resources ... Read More

Interlink Self-Help Center

The mission of Interlink Self-Help Center is to provide a save environment in which those of us facing our mental health challenges can improve our quality of life through self-help, mutual support and empowerment. Interlink is a program of Goodwill-Redwood Empire and is located at 1033 Fourth St. Santa Rosa, CA, 95404. Phone: (707) 546-4481 Currently closed to walk-in service due to COVID-19. Available for calls 9:30am-3:30pm Mon thru Thurs to check in, find out about resources, call for warmline ... Read More

Making a Plan – Thinking Ahead

Making A Plan - Thinking Ahead helps you think about what care you want and do not want if you cannot speak for yourself. It empowers you to have your wishes known and honored if you are unable to guide your own care because of serious illness including a mental health crisis, frailty or the ending of life. It includes a Workbook, a Forms booklet, and the companion piece titled: Mental Health Supportive Care Plan. Together these materials comprise the "Making a Plan Toolkit." In addition to helping ... Read More

Mental Health & Wellness: Coping during the coronavirus outbreak

Mental Health & Wellness: Coping during the coronavirus outbreak was compiled by Sonoma County Emergency Services to provide helpful resources in English and Spanish. Here can be found helpful resources for people of all ages including resources when needing help right now.