LGBTQ+ Campus Support

Merritt College thrives to become a more inclusive environment which welcomes and supports the intersectionality of all of our students. The resources on this page are to greatly improve the school climate for (LGBTQIA) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual students. 

Merritt College Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Student Club

The GSA Student Club is to support LGBTQIA students by creating safe spaces for students to meet and socialize in a harassment-free environment. GSA will work in conjunction with the college to educate and inform the campus community regarding how to better support students in need of support.  For more information, contact Merritt College’s GSA Advisor, Nickolas Garner at ngarner@peralta.edu .

Merritt College Wellness Center

To learn more about Merritt College and Peralta Community Colleges Health and Wellness Services for students visit:

Merritt College’s Wellness Center

(https://www.merritt.edu/health/)

and

Peralta’s Health Services

(https://www.peralta.edu/health-services/)

 

For Mental Health Counseling and Support, please visit:

(https://www.merritt.edu/health/mental-health-services/)

 

The Merritt Wellness Center is OPEN in R-106 Fall and Spring Semester Hours:

Mondays:       11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Tuesdays:         8:30 am – 3:00 pm

Wednesdays:   8:30 am – 3:00 pm

Thursdays:     12:00 pm – 7:00 pm

 

A recurring Peralta-wide LGBTQ+ support group for students meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays from 12-1 PM online.  If you are interested in joining, please fill out the form below:

Bay Area LGBTQ+ Community and Emergency Resources

For Bay Area LGBTQ+ Community and Emergency Resources visit the Center for Critical Public Health website at https://criticalpublichealth.org/bay-area-lgbtq-resources/ or refer to the information below.

Resource Information Hubs

www.211.org Call 2-1-1 (toll-free)
One Degree Visit website or text any keyword (like “shelter”) to 844-833-1334

Community Resource Centers

Many offer support groups and/or therapy, or can refer you to these resources and many others.

Oakland LGBTQ Community Center (510) 882-2286
San Francisco LGBTQ Community Center (415) 865-5555
Lavender Youth Recreation & Information Center (SF) (415) 703-6150
Pacific Center for Human Growth (Berkeley) (510) 548-8283
Rainbow Community Center (Concord) (925) 692-0090
Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center (San Jose) (408) 293-3040
The LGBTQ Youth Space (San Jose) (408) 343-7940
RYSE Youth Community Center (Richmond) (510) 374-3401
Project Q
Los Angeles-based community center with some mobile services, serving LGBTQIA+ young people experiencing housing insecurity.
(213) 617-8442

Health, Health Care & Substance Use Services

Dimensions Clinic (SF)
Free or low cost medical and mental health care for LGB, queer, trans, & nonbinary people 12-25.
(628) 217-5753
Lyon-Martin Health Services (SF)
Free or low cost medical services for women + trans & genderqueer people.
(415) 565-7667
HEPPAC (Oakland/East Bay)
Free harm-reduction and other services available by drop-in at Casa Segura and at mobile community outreach sites in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
(510) 434-0307
St. James Infirmary (SF)
Peer-based occupational health and safety clinic for current & former sex workers of all genders and their families.
(415) 554-8494
Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic (SF) (415) 746-1940
Berkeley Free Clinic (510) 548-2570
(800) 6-CLINIC
San Francisco AIDS Foundation
For folks from a wide range of communities facing sexual health & substance use-related inequities; free or low-cost services promoting health, wellness, harm reduction & social justice.
Main Office (1035 Market):
(415) 487-3000
Strut Wellness (470 Castro):
(415) 437-3400
Planned Parenthood (800) 230-PLAN
California HIV/AIDS Hotline (800) 367-AIDS
HIV/AIDS Nightline (800) 273-2437
HIV/AIDS Textline (415) 200-2920
Drug Info Line (24-hour hotline) (415) 362-3400
Poison Control Center (800) 222-1222
North American Syringe Exchange Program (NASEN)
Find harm reduction programs and services in your area.

General Mental Health Support

Mental Health Referral Service (24-hour hotline) (800) 843-7274
Teen to Teen Hotline (510) 236‑TEEN
LGBT National Youth Talkline (800) 246-7743
LGBT National Hotline (888) 843-4564
Trans Lifeline (24 hour hotline)
Peer support service run by trans people for trans people.
(878) 565-8860
Queer LifeSpace
Sliding-scale therapy in SF for LGBTQ people, by LGBTQ people. May be able to recommend resources in other areas.
www.queerlifespace.org
(415) 358-2000 ext. 301
Phoenix Jackson, MFT
Located in Oakland, Phoenix specializes in topics relevant to queer youth and adults specifically, as well as intersectionality.
PhoenixJacksonTherapy.com
(510) 214-6762

Suicide & Emotional Crisis

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-8255
Text: MYLIFE to 741741
Hopeline Network 24-hour hotline:
(800) SUICIDE
(800) 784-2433
Hopeline: San Francisco (415) 781-0500
Hopeline: Berkeley/Oakland (510) 849-2212
Hopeline: San Leandro/Hayward/CV (510) 889-1333
Hopeline: Fremont/Newark/Union City (510) 794-5211
Hopeline: San Mateo County (650) 579-0350
Hopeline: Livermore Valley/Pleasanton (925) 449-5566
Hopeline: Contra Costa County (800) 833-2900
Hopeline: San Jose/Santa Clara County (408) 279-3312
Hopeline: Marin County (415) 499-1100
The Trevor Project
Crisis support & suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ folks under 25.
Online chat: thetrevorproject.org
Call: (800) 850-8078
Text: START to 678678
National Youth Crisis Hotline (800) 448-4663
California Youth Crisis Hotline (24-hour) (800) 843-5200

Mental Health & Emergency Psychiatric Services

Call 911 if you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency.

San Francisco General Hospital Psychiatric Emergency Services (628) 206-8125
Mobile Crisis Team (415) 970-4000
Minors call: (415) 970-3800
Alameda County Crisis Line (800) 309-2131
Mobile Crisis Unit Berkeley & Albany (11:30a-10p) (510) 981-5900
Mobile Crisis Unit, general Alameda County
(10a-8p M-F)
(800) 981-5900
John George Psychiatric Hospital (24-hour) (510) 346-1300
Contra Costa County Mental Health Crisis Services (888) 678-7277
Santa Clara County Emergency Psychiatric Services (408) 885-6100
Santa Clara County Mental Health (408) 299-6234

Sexual Violence, Partner Abuse & Domestic Violence

The Network/La Red
Survivor-led org providing free support, info, resource referrals, safety planning, and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ folks experiencing partner abuse.
24-hour hotline:
(800) 832-1901
Community United Against Violence
Serves LGBTQ+ people dealing with violence and abuse.
(415) 333-4357
Bay Area Women Against Rape
Free counseling and 24-hour support for survivors.
(510) 845-7273
STAND! Against Domestic Violence (888) 215-5555
loveisrespect.org
Info and support to prevent & end abusive relationships.
Chat online
Text LOVEIS to 22522
Call (866) 331-9474
Domestic Violence Prevention Hotline 24-hours:
(800) 540-5433
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Info on resources in your area.
English/Spanish 24-hour hotline:
(800) 799-SAFE
(800) 799-7233
TDD:
(800) 787-3224
Child and Adolescent Sexual Abuse Resource Center (CASARC)
Services for people 17 and under.
(415) 206-8386
National Sexual Assault Hotline (800) 656-4673
Child Abuse Talk Line 24-hour hotline:
(415) 441- 5437
Children’s Protective Services
Investigates reports of child abuse.
24-hour hotline:
(800) 856-5553
South Bay Community Solutions (408) 683-4118
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence Bilingual:
(408) 279-2962
Asian American Community Involvement Asian languages:
(408) 975-2739
East Bay Area SAVE (Fremont) (510) 794-6055
A Safe Place (Oakland) (510) 536-SAFE
Victims of Crime Resource Center English/Spanish/TDD:
(800) 842-8467
Anti-Violence Project (AVP)
For survivors of all forms of violence and those who support and love them, geared towards LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities.
24-hr Spanish/English:
(221) 714-1141
City of Oakland Community Police Review Agency (CRPA) Portal for filing a complaint: www.oaklandca.gov/services/make-a-cpra-complaint
Cop Watch
Links and forms for filing complaints with most Bay Area law enforcement agencies.
berkeleycopwatch.org/complaint-resources
National Lawyers Guild (415) 285-5067
Bay Area Legal Aid
Free legal advice, referrals, and services for eligible low-income Bay Area residents (civil matters only; for criminal matters contact your county’s public defender office or bar association).
Advice Line:
(800) 551-5554
National Police Accountability Project (NPAP) Manual for victims of police misconduct:
nlg-npap.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/NPAP-Manual-compact.pdf

Alameda County LGBTQ+ Resources

For additional resources, visit the Alameda County LGBTQ+ Resources website at visit https://www.smcgov.org/lgbtq/alameda-county-lgbtq-resources .