The Lived Experience Education Workgroup (LEEW) held a summer social earlier this month. Fruit and ice pops kept everyone cool, as we took turns asking ice breaker questions such as, “What would others be surprised to know about you?” and “What three words would you use to describe yourself?”. Read more
By Austyn Lee, Office of Diversity & Equity Summer Intern
On Tuesday, July 25th, the African American Community Initiative (AACI) gave a presentation entitled “Conversations about Black History Year” at the Board of Supervisors Meeting in the Redwood City Hall of Justice and Records.
The AACI is one of the county’s nine Health Equity Initiatives (HEI) that address racial, ethnic, and cultural disparities within BHRS. AACI aims to be a resource for African American community members who experience disparities in access to and quality of care in our county. Read more
September is National Recovery Month and BHRS is seeking short narratives/testimonies (200 – 400 words) celebrating the success of people in recovery. Narratives may be published in the BHRS newsletter, Wellness Matters, posted online in the BHRS blog and in other San Mateo County communications and social media channels.
We are seeking a range of submissions reflecting diverse perspectives, cultures and personal experiences of recovery.
How to Submit:
Wednesday, July 5th marked the 100th Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) session for San Mateo County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Office of Diversity and Equity. The YMHFA training took place at Puente de la Costa Sur in Pescadero.
Puente is the only Community Resource Center serving San Mateo County’s rural South Coast. According to a recent report prepared by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in February 2017, the South Coast is “home to about 2,950 largely marginalized and isolated residents, mostly Latino farm and nursery workers and their families, as well as low-income Caucasian residents.” Considered that the South Coast is the Bay Area’s most rural zone, communities in the region have no emergency room, public library, public park, childcare center, affordable grocery store, laundromat, sewage system or flood control system. Read more
Last week, San Mateo County BHRS and partner organizations traveled to Sacramento for the annual Community Prevention Initiative (CPI) Regional Trainings hosted by the Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS). This year, the CPI Regional Trainings theme is Cultural Competence, a guiding principle of the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). If you would like a copy the conference presentations and resources contact Colin Hart at chart@smcgov.org.
The breadth of presentations was far reaching to include topics such as:
#TBT (Throwback Thursday): One of our Mental Health Awareness Month Mini-Grant Awardees, the Northwest Community Service Area (CSA), hosted Lime Green Champion Ribbon Walls at 5 agencies.
The wall demonstration acknowledges the important role support networks play in individual’s mental health wellness and recovery.
Northwest CSA Manager, Tim Holechek shares his experience with the ribbon walls:
In observance of May Mental Health Awareness Month, North County Mental Health Clinic and four partner agencies- Pyramid Alternatives, Daly City Youth Health Center, Pacifica Resource Center, and the Daly City Partnership- hosted Ribbon Walls at their respective sites throughout the month of May. The response was great, with dozens of individuals who use the services of these agencies identifying their “lime green champions” and giving them a grateful shout-out with a lime green ribbon on the wall. Their champions are individuals, organizations, pets, etc. who people, facing the challenges of having a mental health condition, rely on for support and maintenance of their stability and well-being. The Ribbon Wall activity clearly demonstrated the power of people’s support networks, however big or small, in helping folks with mental health conditions maintain hope, feel cared about, and connected with others in their recovery. And as long as there are people in our communities who will extend themselves to support a person with a mental health condition, there is hope that together we can overcome the stigma experienced by those whose lives have been impacted by mental health.
Inspired by our North County community’s work in showcasing our mental health support network? Learn how to create your own Lime Green Champion Ribbon Wall in your lobby, store or other public space at http://www.eachmindmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/5.-Ribbon-Wall-Activity-Instructions.pdf.
Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) has been offered by the BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity since 2013. Since inception, we have successfully trained 1,711 individuals in San Mateo County. The 100th class will be held at Puente, located in Pescadero. Puente serves the San Mateo South Coast communities of Pescadero, La Honda, Loma Mar and San Gregorio. They advocate for their communities and promote individual and community health and wellness.
YMHFA is an 8 hour public education program which introduces participants to unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents. It builds understanding of the importance of early intervention and teaches individuals how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. YMHFA uses role playing and interactive discussions to demonstrate how to access, intervene and provide initial help.
YMHFA creates the time, space and safe environment for learning and understanding how to support youth by using empathy and compassion. The outcomes indicate that:
Not only do participants feel more confident recognizing signs, reaching out or assisting a young person, they are actually using Youth Mental Health First Aid in their everyday lives.
“If I see a student acting in a way that might suggest he/she is having some emotional difficulties, I am more confident to approach the student, ask questions and a couple of times I have suggested the availability of help in school and follow up with the students,” said one participant six months after the training.
“I asked a student if they felt suicidal,” stated another participant who discussed the difficult but often crucial task of asking a young person about suicide. “I would have never felt okay to do this before the training.”
100 classes in, Youth Mental Health First Aid is still an invaluable resource for the community.
– Natalie Andrade
San Mateo County community members celebrate pride with the raising of a flag, live music, energetic speakers and a ribbon cutting ceremony.
This past June was Pride month and San Mateo County had a whole lot to celebrate with our fifth annual Pride event and the historic grand opening of the county’s very first Pride Center.
The Pride Initiative held the annual LGBTQ+ Pride event at San Mateo Central Park on Saturday, June 10th. This year’s theme, “Still We Rise,” inspired by Maya Angelou’s 1978 poem, “Still I Rise” was meant to remind us of the need for solidarity across all communities.
This year, for the first time, the Pride flag was raised along with the American flag in the center of the park at the commencement of Saturday’s celebration. Entertainment included poets, musicians, dancers, martial artists and even an open mic, showcasing talent from the community. Approximately 700 people came out to celebrate.
When the PRIDE initiative originated in 2008, it was the first county sanctioned LGBTQ+ entity in San Mateo County. In a testament to the advances made by our LBTQ+ community and allies, the county proudly kicked off Pride month with the opening of San Mateo County’s very first Pride Center.
Nearly 500 community members gathered on June 1st to celebrate the grand opening, complete with a ribbon cutting, dynamic speakers and live music.
Located at 1021 S. El Camino and 11th Ave. in San Mateo, the Pride Center combines direct behavioral health services, such as counseling, peer support, and case management, with community support and services. The center is a safe space and welcomes everyone.
The Pride Center is a collaboration with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, funded through the Mental Health Services Act. The Center is operated by five partner organizations: StarVista, Peninsula Family Service, Outlet of Adolescent Counseling Services, Daly City Partnership and Pyramid Alternatives.
For more information about the Pride Center call 650-591-0133 or email info@sanmateopride.org. For more information about the PRIDE Initiative, check out their website at www.smchealth.org/pride.
Lisa Putkey, Jei Africa and Regina Moreno contributed to this article.
Many have heard of StarVista’s First Chance Sobering Station. The 24-hour program is an alternative to jail for those arrested for driving under the influence or public intoxication. First Chance counselors provide assessments, case management and coping strategies for clients while they recover from intoxication.
Did you know that First Chance also offers outpatient services for clients with substance use or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders? Referrals to these services are not only provided through law enforcement, but through BHRS, residential treatment programs, hospitals and more. First Chance Outpatient Services offers assessments, individualized treatment plans, counseling and random drug and alcohol testing.
Last year First Chance helped over 2,700 clients. For more information call (650) 689-5597.
As of July 1, 2017, Health Plan of San Mateo (HSPM) now offers a transportation benefit to all Medi-Cal members allowing them to schedule rides to outpatient health-related services, like doctor’s visits, lab services, PT/OT and behavioral health appointments.
HSPM contracts with the American Logistics Company (ALC) to provide transportation. To schedule a ride, members must call ALC two days in advance. ALC arranges curb to curb rides through their strategic partnership with Lyft for members who have access to a mobile phone that can receive messages from a Lyft driver. For those who require door to door service (assistance getting in/out of vehicle or into the building), ALC can arrange a ride through one of their other contracted transportation providers.
Rides are provided for health related services only. The areas covered by this benefit are San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Requests for rides to health-related services outside of these counties must by authorized by HPSM.
CareAdvantage members have had a transportation benefit through HSPM since 2008. CareAdvantage members who have reached their 30 one way ride limit, can request additional rides through ALC, to be covered through their Medi-Cal benefit.
The Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) benefit is still offered to members that need non-emergency ambulance, litter van, wheelchair van and/or air transport. NEMT must be prescribed by a health care provider and approved by HPSM Health Services.
To schedule a ride through ALC, Medi-Cal members should call 1-844-856-4389, and CareAdvantage members should call 1-877-356-1080.
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