The Pamela Price for Alameda County District Attorney campaign is honored to partner with FASMI (Families Advocating for the Seriously Mentally Ill) for a very important conversation about how our families and our community are impacted by the current resources and structures that we have for our loved ones with serious mental illness.

More often than not, our loved ones with serious mental illnesses, like schizophrenia, end up in our criminal justice system, but this is not the solution that they need. Our panelists will be discussing the different challenges they have faced as family members, advocates, caregivers, and providers for the seriously mentally ill.

Following the panel discussion, the panelists will have a discussion with Pamela about how the District Attorney's office and our public safety departments can support the mission of FASMI.

Meet Our Panelists

Mark Rahman is a family member who is a primary caregiver for a daughter with a serious mental illness. He has retired from the Family Education and Resource Center after nine years as a Family Advocate. He continues to volunteer for NAMI Alameda County and NAMI Tri-Valley in leading classes and facilitating support groups.

Kimberly Graves "I am a family member, a mother of a young man who was criminalized for his SMI challenges. I am also an activist fighting for the rights of the disenfranchised, in partnership with several different organizations."

Synetta Freeman "I am the mother of a seriously mentally ill young man who is currently incarcerated. I work for NAMI Contra Costa County and am active in Families Advocating for the Seriously Mentally Ill (FASMI)."

Katy Polony "I have a son with schizophrenia who is currently hospitalized. I am active in NAMI and FASMI and I work as a provider in the behavioral health system trying to connect people with serious mental illness to services."

Kelsey O'Neil MSW, is a crisis intervention clinician at San Quentin State Prison, and serves the acutely mentally ill incarcerated population. Kelsey was previously a clinician at a Psychiatric Hospital, serving patients on 5150 and 5250 legal holds. Kelsey believes in "care over cages," and that everyone deserves mental health treatment and healing. Her personal MH advocacy in prisons instagram is: @HealOverHarm and can be reached at [email protected].