Behavioral Health & Recovery Services Blog

This semester, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services’ Office of Diversity and Equity partnered with One East Palo Alto to provide an in-person Parent Project class facilitated in English with a Samoan/Tongan/Pacific Islander lens. One week ahead of Parent Project graduation, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services’ Office of Diversity and Equity provided a presentation to the class highlighting how to access Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, what resources and trainings we offer at the Office of Diversity and Equity, as well as an introduction to our Health Equity Initiatives and the Health Ambassador Program.  

Our Health Education Associate and May Mental Health Month Co-Chair, Maria Martinez (she/her), co-facilitated the presentation alongside the Parent Project Program Coordinator, Nicoletta Kelleher (she/her). The Parent Project® curriculum urges the importance of parents and caregivers caring for themselves, as it is vital to support yourself so you can care for your loved ones. In an effort to brainstorm ways to support one’s mental health, Maria facilitated a May Mental Health Month self-care activity from Take Action’s “Reimagine Mental Health” Mini-Journal. As a class, we shared our “pick-me-ups” or activities we do to for self-care when we are feeling stressed. As a support group, parents and caregivers shared their favorite self-care activities that help them when they are feeling overwhelmed our stressed. Some examples included doing yoga, playing the ukulele, going for a drive, etc. Maria and Nicoletta also encouraged parents to utilize this mini journal for parents and caregivers complete these exercises with their children and loved ones as a bonding activity to do together. Maria also provided participants with the “Reimagine Mental Health” goal setting work sheets packet, to ensure participants are able to plan and monitor their mental health and self-care goals.

Thank you, Maria Martinez, for all of your efforts in spreading May Mental Health Awareness amongst our Parent Project participants! To learn more about San Mateo County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Office of Diversity and Equity’s May Mental Health Month, visit SMCHealth.org/MHM. To access Take Action for Mental Health’s resources, please visit takeaction4mh.com/.