PEERS — Free Peer-Run Mental Health Support — Oakland, CA
PEERS (Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services) is the premier peer-led mental health alternative in Alameda County, based in Oakland and serving the broader East Bay. PEERS is run by and for people with lived mental health experience — staff, group facilitators, and leadership are themselves peers in mental health recovery. The organization delivers free support groups, drop-in wellness spaces, workshops, the California Peer-Run Warm Line, and community outreach across Alameda County.
What to Expect
PEERS hosts weekly peer support groups in person at their Oakland location and online — including groups for general mental health peer support, voice hearers, mood disorders, LGBTQIA+ peers, BIPOC peers, family members, and people in recovery from psychiatric hospitalization. Drop-in wellness programming includes art, mindfulness, social activities, and shared meals. The California Peer-Run Warm Line at 1-855-845-7415 is staffed 24/7 by trained peers and is a non-emergency resource for anyone in California needing mental and emotional support. PEERS also offers peer specialist training, advocacy, and the annual peer-led conference Faces and Voices of Recovery.
Who This Group Is For
PEERS welcomes adults with lived mental health experience across Alameda County, plus family members and supporters. Members include people with mood disorders, psychosis, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and other mental health experiences. The peer-run structure means everything from group facilitation to organizational leadership is grounded in lived experience — programs reflect what peers themselves know works rather than clinician-led assumptions.
Why Peer Support Works
Peer-led mental health support is one of the most evidence-supported approaches to recovery — and PEERS is one of the longest-running peer-run mental health organizations in the country. For Alameda County residents, having a local peer-run organization means access to community, support, and advocacy from people who understand from the inside. Many members describe PEERS as the first place they felt their full experience was heard rather than diagnosed.
How to Join
PEERS programs are free. Visit peersnet.org to find a current support group, register for workshops, learn about the Peer Specialist training, or call the California Peer-Run Warm Line at 1-855-845-7415 (24/7). PEERS is located in Oakland and welcomes new members at any open group meeting.