See the San Mateo County Health Officer, Dr. Scott Morrow’s most recent statement on COVID-19 posted on March 23, which provides a better understanding of where we find ourselves today, and the critical need for everyone to shelter in place.
You can also read his previous statements from 3/16/20, 3/10/20, 3/5/20, and 2/27/20 here: https://www.smchealth.org/post/health-officer-statements.
Get the latest San Mateo County Health COVID-19 news and information at www.smchealth.org/coronavirus.
San Mateo County Health is working closely with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to respond to novel coronavirus and its potential impacts on the Bay Area. Visit https://www.smchealth.org/coronavirus for information and updates.
2-1-1 is a confidential service accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week in 180 languages. Callers can get answers to questions about how residents, schools and businesses should prepare for COVID-19, as well as ways to prevent the spread of the virus.
The MHSA Three-Year Plan is developed in collaboration with clients and families, community members, staff, community agencies and stakeholders. It includes behavioral health priorities for funding over the next three years for program expansions and/or improvements, services and expenditure projections.
There are many opportunities for you to get involved in shaping the priorities for MHSA over the next 3 years.
First off, please take the time to complete a 12 question survey that will help inform the mental health and substance use needs in San Mateo County and feel free to share the survey broadly!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MHSA2020
Additionally, there are in-person community meetings throughout San Mateo County to help develop strategies to address the prioritized needs. Visit the the MHSA website, www.smchealth.org/MHSA, for the meeting flyers and the 2020 Input Sessions list, and check regularly for updates!
MHSA Steering Committee – Prioritization of Needs
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm (MHSARC)
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm (MHSA)
San Mateo County Health Campus, Room 100
225 37th Avenue in San Mateo
MHSA Steering Committee – Prioritization of Strategies
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
4:30pm – 6:30pm
Veterans Memorial Building, Redwood Room
1455 Madison Avenue in Redwood City
Thank you for your help in making San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services a better community partner!
SanaMente is the statewide movement to raise awareness about mental health in the Latino community. This year, we invite youth to create 30- second mental health films in Spanish that will be used to help community members across California. Youth who create the top films can win cash prizes, recognitions, and even a trip to Los Angeles to attend a red-carpet awards ceremony. For more information, please visit: https://www.directingchangeca.org/submission-categories/sanamente/
SanaMente es el movimiento de salud mental de California en la comunidad latina. Este año, invitamos a los jóvenes a crear videos cortos de 30 segundos sobre la salud mental, en español, que ayudarán a miembros de la comunidad a través del estado de California. Los jóvenes que crean los videos más taquilleras pueden ganar premios en efectivo, reconocimientos, y hasta un viaje a Los Angeles para asistir a nuestra ceremonia de premios de alfombra roja. Para más información, por favor visite: https://www.directingchangeca.org/submissioncategories/sanamente/
In our San Mateo County community, youth have submitted and won awards for their Directing Change films. Participating schools include Aragon High School, Burlingame High School and Hillsdale High School (see https://www.directingchangeca.org/films-by-county/#SanMateo). We would love to see more participating middle schools and high schools across San Mateo County!
Calling for submissions! Create a film for the Directing Change Program and you’ll be eligible to win cash prizes, trophies, and even a trip to an annual red-carpet awards ceremony in downtown Los Angeles. Films are used in communities across the state to educate and encourage conversations around mental health and suicide prevention.
Directing Change invites you to create a film to help change conversations around mental health and suicide prevention in your community! Youth ages 14-25 and students in grades 6-12 are invited to submit 30 and 60 second films in a range of categories that are used to help those in your community learn about mental health and suicide prevention, while also giving filmmakers the chance to win prizes! Check out a few of our different categories below!
Through the Lens of Culture is the submission category that asks young people each year to share what mental health or suicide prevention looks like in their culture. Are there specific supports available in your community? Additional challenges that your group experiences? Young people are invited to submit 60-second films about how their culture views suicide prevention and mental health. Films will be used in diverse communities across the state.
Walk in our shoes. What would it be like to walk in someone else’s shoes? The Directing Change Film Contest’s middle school submission category asks students in grades 6-8 to answer that question, telling a story about someone who is facing a mental health challenge or who has been thinking about suicide. Creating a film can help you make a difference in your community, and you could win prizes!
Get involved and submit your film by March 1 at http://www.directingchangeca.org!
In our San Mateo County community, youth have submitted and won awards for their Directing Change films. Participating schools include Aragon High School, Burlingame High School and Hillsdale High School (see https://www.directingchangeca.org/films-by-county/#SanMateo). We would love to see more participating middle schools and high schools across San Mateo County!
Congratulations to the Integrated Medication Assisted Team (IMAT), recipients of the 2019 California State Association of Counties Challenge Awards, which recognizes programs that find innovative, creative, effective, and cost-saving ways to provide services to their citizens by California Counties.
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) helps people with an alcohol or opioid addiction using a proven and comprehensive approach which combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and other lifestyle/behavioral therapies to support treatment and recovery.
Learn more about the IMAT program and the work being done in the County to help people with an opioid use disorder.
Congratulations to Doris Estremera who recently received a commendation for the Women in County Government Award nomination for outstanding commitment and service to the people of San Mateo County. Doris currently works with the BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE) and provides oversight, planning and reporting of our Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding.
Doris started her work in the county 16 years ago as an outreach worker. In her current role, Doris’ unwavering commitment to equity, community-centered practices, and adaptive leadership style are a few of the many ways she makes us “All Together Better” and advances us towards realizing the County’s Shared Vision 2025, particularly a Healthy Community, a Prosperous Community and Collaborative Community.
She worked diligently to lead an inclusive MHSA Innovations processes that yielded more community ideas on how to improve behavioral health in our county than previously received. She also spearheaded a Coastside Community Needs Assessment that will directly feed into a new community program for an especially vulnerable community in our County. In this work she led an all Latina team, honoring the importance of language and culture in our care. Additionally, she worked tirelessly on updating and expanding the information provided in our BHRS Cultural Competence Plan, while prioritizing collaboration in all that she does.
Lastly, Doris stepped in as Interim Director of the Office of Diversity and Equity, while also continuing to maintain her responsibilities as the MHSA Manager. Doris is a clear example of why it is so important to have women in government and in leadership roles. She continually strives to 1) improve the health of San Mateo County residents, with prevention and treatment services for those with a severe mental illness through MHSA prioritization; and 2) create a more livable county through her involvement with policy and systems change.
She is also a working mom, a fitness instructor, and a serves as role model for a life dedicated to the service of others.