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Welcome to our website- thanks for visiting with us!
The Youth Bipolar Foundation of Northern California, a 501(c)(3) public benefit nonprofit corporation, was established July 25, 2006. The mission of the Foundation is to sponsor Camp Opehay (formerly New Hope), develop additional therapeutic and recreational programs for youth with bipolar disorder as well as fund research in this field.
Pediatric bipolar disorder is a chronic, disabling brain disorder, which is understudied and may affect at least 1% of children and adolescents. Left untreated, it has a reported mortality rate of up to 18%. The cause of bipolar disorder is unknown, although it has been identified as an inherited illness. Currently, there are no genetic or biological tests to diagnose bipolar disorder. There is no known cure, but treatment with medications and therapy can reduce the symptoms and severity of the illness for many children and adolescents with bipolar disorder.
We believe it is vital that youth afflicted with this disorder be afforded opportunities to connect with peers who share their diagnosis. For this reason, a weekend camp in Northern California was developed specifically for these special and deserving children and adolescents. Our camp was founded in August 2005 and is held annually in Livermore, California at The Taylor Family Foundation's state-of-the-art Camp Arroyo facility. This successful and ground-breaking program is made possible through close collaboration with the Taylor Family Foundation, www.ttff.org, and the Stanford University Pediatric Bipolar Disorders Program, http://pediatricbipolar.stanford.edu.
Camp Opehay's Medical Directors, Drs. Kiki Chang and Shashank Joshi, and Clinical Director, Meghan Howe, MSW, are experts in pediatric bipolar disorder. These amazing professionals come to us from the Stanford University Pediatric Bipolar Disorders Program and graciously volunteer countless hours of their expertise and time.
Camp Opehay 2008
Camp Opehay will take place August 9-11th, 2008. Our camp program serves up to 56 youth ages 9-17 who have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. At this time we are, unfortunately, only able to consider recommendations for youth who live in Northern California.
While at camp emotional wounds heal, camaraderie and community blossoms, and campers learn about their brain disorder as well as the importance of following their treatment plan. Most importantly, Camp Opehay is a place where children and adolescents with bipolar disorder realize they are valued and understood. It is a sanctuary where they all feel connected.
Due to the kindness and generosity of YBFNC supporters, we are pleased to announce that we are again able to offer our program at no charge to camp participants.
For more specific camp information or if you would like an application for a volunteer camp position, or recommendation form for your son/daughter, please email us at camp.opehay.rocks@gmail.com.
Camp is expected to fill to capacity. The selection process will take place from February until May. All applicants and camper recommendations will be carefully reviewed and considered.
How can you help individuals with pediatric bipolar disorder?
Make a Cash Donation to our Fundraising Campaign:
The entire team for Camp Opehay and YBFNC is 100% volunteer. We rely on charitable contributions from the community to achieve our mission. Your gift will directly support our team's effort to continue to provide no-cost and low-cost community services and structured programs that are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of youth with bipolar disorder. All charitable contributions are tax deductible.
For a cash donation checks should be made payable to:
Youth Bipolar Foundation of Northern California
Please send to: YBFNC, P.O. Box 2009, Walnut Creek, California, 94595-0009
Shop Maatiam
Turn shopping into giving. It's easy to do. Just visit www.maatiam.com and pick YBFNC as your designated nonprofit and shop to your heart's content. A percentage of your purchases will be directed to us!
Use GoodSearch as your search engine & GoodShop for Online Shopping
Turn web searches into money for YBFNC. It's super simple. Just visit www.goodsearch.com and pick YBFNC as your designated nonprofit and then search and shop to your heart's content! A percentage of every search and item you buy is directed to us!
Go Green!
We have registered with an exciting fundraising program called Greenraising. Please consider purchasing all your earth friendly products from this organization and in the process you will be helping the earth and YBFNC! Please visit http://www.greenraising.com/?AFID=234 to get started.
Take Action-Volunteer-Get Involved-Change a Child's Life!
To successfully sustain our programs it takes a village of compassionate individuals. By sharing your time, talents and energies with us you can make a significant difference in the life of a child or adolescent with bipolar disorder.
To join our dynamic volunteer team or to learn more about additional ways you can support our efforts, please contact us at: camp.opehay.rocks@gmail.com (re: camp opportunities) or ybf_nc@msn.com (re: foundation opportunities).
We'd love to hear from you!
Only by working together can we make a difference in the life of a child.
Contact Information:
Email: ybf_nc@msn.com
US Mail: Youth Bipolar Foundation of Northern California, P.O. Box 2009, Walnut Creek, CA 94595-0009 | 
