With the establishment of the San Mateo County Mayors Mental Health Initiative four years ago, San Mateo County has built a unique and strong partnership across 20 cities. Collectively, the County and cities have declared proclamations, lit up public buildings, hosted local trainings and secured funding for direct mental health care to reduce the stigma and connect community to more resources related to mental health and suicide prevention. After four years of dedication and progress, it was very clear that the mayors and elected officials supporting our community also needed support.
San Mateo County Mayors Mental Health Initiative Co-Founder Sara McDowell reflected,
“Since 2022, the San Mateo County Mayors Mental Health Initiative has united local elected officials to increase community awareness of and access to mental health resources. In partnership with San Mateo County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Office of Diversity and Equity, we rolled out free mental health trainings for youth and adults countywide. This year, we focused inward on the mental health of our elected leaders because mental health matters for public servants, too.”
– San Mateo County Mayors Mental Health Initiative Co-Founder Sara McDowell
In collaboration with the Board of Supervisors President Noelia Corzo, Mayors Mental Health Initiative, Community Connections for Psychological Associates and San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Office of Diversity and Equity, the “Be Sensitive, Be Brave for Mental Health” training was adapted for elected officials to focus inward on their own mental health challenges, healing and resilience.
After months of planning and interviews, the Be Sensitive, Be Brave for Mental Health for Elected Officials workshop launched during 2026 May Mental Health Month. Twenty-three elected officials participated, representing cities and school districts across San Mateo County, including a county supervisor, city councilmembers, and school board members. To our knowledge, this is the first training of its kind in the United States: a mental health training designed specifically for elected leaders. The workshop created a space where elected officials could openly discuss the mental health impacts of public leadership, including stress, burnout, stigma, and emotional well-being.
Read more: Groundbreaking Mental Health Training to Support Those Who Serve Our Community
Why This Training Matters
While elected officials have the honor to do impactful and meaningful work, they often carry immense responsibility, public scrutiny, crisis response, difficult community issues, and the emotional demands of leadership. Yet conversations about mental health in leadership spaces are still rare. This workshop aimed to help change that.
“Providing elected officials with the opportunity to engage in open and honest conversations about mental health is incredibly important. Serving our communities is deeply meaningful work, but it can also be isolating, emotionally demanding, and difficult to talk about openly. This workshop created space for elected leaders to connect, reflect, learn from one another, and gain practical tools to support both their own well-being and the well-being of the communities they serve.”
– San Mateo County Mayor’s Mental Health Initiative founding member and Pacifica City Council Member Mary Bier
Participants explored how to recognize signs of mental distress, support colleagues and loved ones, strengthen resilience, reduce stigma, and better understand the role culture plays in mental health conversations. The session also emphasized that, as with the general public, public servants also need connection and support.
“This work shows how meaningful it is for elected officials to model open conversations about mental well-being. Centering mental health within leadership circles sends a clear message that it is fundamental to healthy communities: Mental health is health. This work also highlights the importance of creating environments where public officials can reflect, learn, and champion mental well being as a core civic value.”
– San Mateo County Mayor’s Mental Health Initiative founding member and South San Francisco City Council Member Eddie Flores
Training Highlights and Impact
Evaluation data from pre- and post-training surveys demonstrated meaningful growth across every measured category. Key findings include:
- Across all the questions, participants responses showed increased confidence in their abilities to respond to mental health challenges
- One of the largest increases was in participants’ willingness to seek professional support if they themselves were experiencing a mental health condition
- The training also strengthened participants’ understanding of mental health literacy and local resources while helping normalize conversations about emotional well-being in leadership spaces.
Participant Testimonies
- “So great to be with a community who understands what we go through”
- “Let’s offer this training annually! Take it to the Cal Cities annual conference!
- “…actively reach out to 2nd and 3rd year electeds with a personal invitation to participate”
The feedback reflected not only the value of the workshop content, but also the importance of creating opportunities for elected leaders to connect authentically with one another.
Acknowledgements
The workshop was made possible through the following collaborative partners:
– San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President and Staff
– President Noelia Corzo, Jacki Rigoni, Christina Falla, and Deysi Barrios for inviting elected officials across the county and hosting the training at the County Center.
– San Mateo County Mayors Mental Health Initiative
– Council Member Eddie Flores, Mary Bier, and Sara McDowell for elevating this need and collaborating on shaping this innovative training every step of the way.
– San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS)
– BHRS Director Dr. Jei Africa and BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity Director Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti for supporting the funding of this project and advancing mental health equity efforts throughout the county.
– Community Health Planner Sylvia Tang for supporting the partnership building for and development of this project.
– Community Connections Psychological Associates
– Dr. Joyce Chu and Dr. Sam O’Neill for adapting and delivering the curriculum and helping create a thoughtful, supportive, and culturally responsive training experience for elected officials.
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