City Services at a Glance

At times it can be confusing to determine what City department you need to contact. Here is a quick guide to some of the more common questions/issues to help provide more direct and easy access to the services you need:

EMERGENCY SERVICES

Call 9-1-1 in an Emergency. The City of Albany provides full-service police, fire, mobile crisis, and emergency medical services. Non-Emergency Police & Fire Contacts Police Contacts | albanypolice@albanyca.org | 1(510)525-7300 Fire Contacts | albanyfire@albanyca.org | 1(510)528-5770 X 5

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES | ALBANY CARES albanycares@albanyca.org | 1(510) 559-4589

Resources and services referrals including food, meal delivery for seniors, shelter and housing, utility bill payment assistance and more.

ADMINISTRATION

DEPARTMENT | CITY CLERK OFFICE

cityhall@albanyca.org | 1(510) 528-5710

City operations oversight, public information, and City Council meeting administration and agendas. Access the City Calendar to get updated information on public meetings. Local business outreach and resource clearinghouse | 1(510) 528-5736

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT com-dev@albanyca.org | 1(510) 528-5760

Building permits via email and construction inspections. Liaison with Waste Management for solid waste and recycling services.

FINANCE DEPARTMENT accountsreceivable@albanyca.org | 1(510)528-5730

Accounts payable and receivable, business licenses.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT apworks@albanyca.org | 1(510)524-9543

Infrastructure and facilities maintenance (streets, sewer, sidewalk, trees, parks, city trash cans, etc.).

RECREATION & COMMUNITY SERVICES recinfo@albanyca.org | 1(510)524-9283

Classes, programs & summer camps. Tennis court, facility & field rentals. Friendship Club | 1(510)559-7220

Senior Center | 1(510)524-9122

 WELCOME  to the Albany Activity Guide’s City News section! This section along with our Resources section is intended to provide updates on City programs and projects and highlight recent accomplishments Our goal is to share more information with you about your city, service offerings, and what we can do together as a community Please let us know if there is anything you would like to see included in this section We'd love the feedback! cityhall@albanyca.org

Greetings Albany Community!

I hope this newest edition of our Activity Guide finds you and yours healthy and well This guide is intended to provide an overview of upcoming recreational opportunities and highlight several community programs and projects underway We have included news about several key initiatives such as furthering housing for all community members, planning towards the wellbeing of our urban forest, as well as our ongoing priority for improving our streets, sidewalks and associated infrastructure

We are also proud to share news about a new community service program - the Albany Crisis Team “ACT” and have included an interview with the team leaders within this guide The services provided through the ACT are intended to help further our collective efforts to care for all members of our community with compassion

Our recent 4th of July Celebration was a huge success thanks to your attendance and the dedicated service of our Recreation & Community Services team Our National Night Out event hosted by our Police Department has also helped facilitate over 35 block parties throughout the city to celebrate our community connectivity We are excited to announce several additional ways to celebrate our community as further detailed within this guide These range from concerts in the park that will be held in August and September, as well as our annual Albany Local Week September 18-24 in support and appreciation of our amazing local business community

We look forward to sharing more news on a number of new initiatives soon, so please be sure to get connected via our “eNotify” and “eNews” found on our website, www albanyca org/enotify, to receive regular updates about city projects and programs intended to serve our community

In Service, Nicole Almaguer, City Manager

An Interview with the New Albany Crisis Team (ACT)

ACT (Albany Crisis Team) is a new mobile crisis unit operating in Albany The purpose of ACT is to meet the needs of Albany community members experiencing crises that may require mental health services We interviewed ACT team members, Johnny and Steven, to learn more about them and the services they offer through the Albany Police Department (APD) and Bonita House

1. What types of matters/incidents will your team respond to?

- Albany Crisis Team consists of a Behavioral Health Clinician and Peer Support Specialist responding to 911 and non-emergency calls centered on mental health and social welfare crises happening throughout the City of Albany These calls can range from someone appearing to behave oddly in public to a citizen expressing thoughts of wanting to harm themselves or others ACT responds to all locations within the City’s jurisdiction and all ages ACT can provide support, psychoeducation, and connection to services to any citizen who requests it, particularly after traumatic events in their lives In a society that is becoming increasingly complex, ACT serves as another tool in our community’s toolbox

2. What are your short term and long-term goals for the ACT?

- Our main goal is to, by working closely with APD, reduce the amount of police contacts with people in mental health, social welfare, or substance use crises This goal exists in both the short- and long-term ACT’s mission is to have behavioral health professionals respond to behavioral health emergencies, thereby reducing the strain on Albany’s other first responders and increasing the potential for safe, positive outcomes for all parties involved in each call for service

3. What are your backgrounds that led you to work for Bonita House and then join ACT?

- (Steven) I grew up in a public service-oriented family here, in the San Francisco Bay Area My upbringing inspired me to become a marriage and family therapist to help others build their own lives worth living I have been doing crisis work exclusively for the past five years, and believe all are deserving of compassionate care, especially in their times of greatest need

- (Johnny) I have worked for over a decade in the social services, including but not limited to EMS and Emergency Departments, Child Welfare, State Psychiatric Institutions, and Mobile Crisis Response Bonita House is the place to work if you want to be on the cutting edge of community mental healthcare and the City of Albany and APD have been tremendous hosts for us, they show remarkable flexibility, forward-thinking, professionalism, and dedication to serving the city

4. What types of assessment do you provide when responding to a call for service?

- ACT assesses one’s danger to self, danger to others, and grave disability in accordance with California Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Sections 5150 and 5585 Upon completion of an assessment, ACT seeks to provide and connect community members with the resources they need to safely navigate their immediate circumstances Unhoused citizens are routinely offered food, water, and transportation to local shelters

5. How do you work in conjunction with the officers of the Albany Police Department?

- Our partnership with APD is vital to the success of this program We rely on APD to ensure scene safety, and when scenes are safe, they step back and allow us to engage and assess our clients Ultimately, the details provided during the initial call for service dictate what resources are deployed and when

ACT program services are accessible by calling the Albany Police Department at 1(510) 525-7300 during program hours For emergencies, dial 9-1-1 ACT services are provided by Bonita House, Inc , a local non-profit 501 (c)(3) which has extensive experience in providing crisis intervention in a wide range of community settings preventing and managing crises in apartment buildings, houses, street locations, or parks