Category Archives: Behavioral Health and Recovery Services

2024 Suicide Prevention Month: Learn the Warning Signs

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Trust your instincts— if someone in your life is showing signs of suicide, including unusual behavior, it’s time to have a conversation. You could start by saying: “You don’t seem like yourself lately. How can I help?” To learn the signs of suicide, visit https://takeaction4mh.com/resources/how-to-recognize-the-warning-signs-of-suicide/ (link in bio)

Events happening this week:
💜 9/30 – Reconozca las Señales de Suicidio en la Comunidad Latinx at 650 Main St, Redwood City

More info at SMCSuicidePrevention.com

2024 Suicide Prevention Month: Check-in with Youths

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Whether or not you have kids, you know what it’s like to be a young person. It’s not always easy. A lot of young people are struggling with thoughts of suicide, so it’s important for them to know they have people in their corner. Check in on young people you care about, and let them know you’re here whenever they need help or just need someone to listen. For more information on suicide prevention, go to https://smcsuicideprevention.com

Events happening this week:
💜9/26 – You Matter: Youth Suicide Prevention Day at allcove in San Mateo
💜 9/30 – Reconozca las Señales de Suicidio en la Comunidad Latinx at 650 Main St, Redwood City

Help Improve Awareness and Promotion of Mental Health & Substance Use-Related Services | Win $35 giftcard

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Help San Mateo County Health, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services improve awareness and promotion of mental health and substance use-related crisis services by completing this 5 minute survey. Your answers will remain confidential and as a thank you for your time, enter for a chance to win a $35 gift card through randomized drawings (County staff and contracted providers on paid time are not eligible for the raffle). To choose another language for the survey, please click the dropdown icon located in the upper right corner of the screen. Please complete the survey and share with your networks by Friday October 4. Your participation is valued, thank you. 

Primary survey link:

Translated links:

Suicide Prevention Committee Newsletter – October 2024

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The Suicide Prevention Committee (SPC) provides oversight and direction to suicide prevention efforts in San Mateo County. Led by the Office of Diversity and Equity at San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, the committee is comprised of suicide attempt survivors, suicide loss survivors, behavioral health providers, social service providers, local transportation agency staff, and other community members passionate about preventing suicide in our community.

COMMITTEE UPDATES

Latest Updates

  • 988 CALLS ARE NOW GEOLOCATED: As of 09/17/2024, T-Mobile cellular service users (including Mint, Metro, Ultra, U.S. Mobile, and textnow) and Verizon cellular service users (including Xfinity, Visible, RedPocket, Reach, and Twigby) cellular service users in San Mateo County are geo-routed to StarVista Crisis Center based on location instead of phone area code when they call 988.
    • AT&T cellular service (including Cricket, Consumer Cellular, Straight Talk, H20 Wireless, and Good2go) is still pending activation confirmation.
  • Suicide Prevention Month website is still accessible to public until the 30th: https://smcsuicideprevention.com/

Monthly Meetings

  • Upcoming Meeting: Tuesday, 10/01/2024 1:30pm – 3pm
    • Suicide Prevention Month Debrief
    • Suicide Attempt and Ideation Data Presentation (by San Mateo County Health Office of Epidemiology and Evaluation)
    • How to Join Virtually
  • Prior: Tuesday, 09/03/2024 from 2pm-3pm: In-person Meeting, Group Photo & Distribution of Outreach Materials at San Mateo County Health offices in Belmont.

UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS

09/26/2024
VIRTUAL VIA ZOOM
Thursday, September 26th, 2024
1pm – 2:30 pm PDT
CDPH Office of Suicide Prevention – September Community of Practice
Registration Link
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP) is excited to continue hosting an interactive, quarterly Community of Practice webinar series.
The purpose of these meetings is to bring together our OSP partners to connect, collaborate, share, and learn from one another’s successes and challenges working on suicide prevention efforts at the local and state level.

For the September OSP Community of Practice we will focus on suicide fatality review teams, including an overview presentation from Dr. Kimberly Repp and representatives from Glenn and Los Angeles counties, sharing their experiences establishing suicide fatality review teams.

Webinar Outline:

  • Overview of the progress made within California to establish county-level Suicide Fatality Review teams.
  • Suicide Fatality Review Team Toolkit created by Dr. Repp with Epidemiology Consulting.
  • County level perspectives on establishing Suicide Fatality Review teams (successes, challenges, and lessons learned).

09/26/2024
Thursday, September 26th, 2024
4pm – 6:30pm PDT
you matter. youth suicide prevention day
allcove san mateo
2600 South El Camino Drive, Suite 300
San Mateo, CA 94403

Discover the power of connection at our youth suicide prevention event! Enjoy an engaging workshop, DIY self-care activities, fun games, and a debrief session. Join us in creating a caring community where everyone feels valued and heard.

09/30/2024
Monday, September 30th, 2024
6pm – 8:30pm PDT
Reconozca las Señales de Suicidio en la Comunidad Latinx
650 Main St.,
Redwood City, CA 94063

Te invitamos a participar en un taller sobre cómo identificar las señales de suicidio, cómo tener una conversación con alguien que esta pensando terminar con su vida, qué acciones tomar y cómo buscar apoyo.

PARA REGISTRARSE CONTACTE A:
Lourdes Briseño 650-458-1128 o Rosa Bañuelos 650-703-40-94

10/01/2024
Tuesday, October 1st, 2024
10am – 12pm PDT
Loneliness to Light with David Canepa and Center for Age-Friendly Excellence (CAFE)
San Mateo County Regional Operations Center (ROC)
501 Winslow Street Redwood City, CA 94063

Come join us for an enlightening event where we will be discussing ways to combat loneliness and foster a sense of community. David Canepa and the Center for Age-Friendly Excellence (CAFE) will be sharing valuable insights and strategies to help you transition from loneliness to light. This in-person event promises to be a source of inspiration and connection. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn and grow together!

Join us to hear from experts and community organizations offering examples on how to reduce isolation and loneliness in San Mateo County!

Speakers include:
DR. ANABEL PELHAM
Center for Age-Friendly Excellence
SUPERVISOR DAVID CANEPA
San Mateo County Board
DR. CARLA PERISSINOTTO
UCSF
DR. ELISSA S. LEE
Neighbor-to-Neighbor Project

10/09/2024
Wednesday, October 9th, 2024
5pm – 6pm
Overdose Prevention Focus Group Meetings
Oceana High School
Room #404
401 Paloma Ave, Pacifica, CA

San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services and our community partners are building a coalition to address overdose and raise awareness. Please join us for a guided focus group to discuss this critical issue and ways to respond:

10/22/2024
VIRTUAL VIA ZOOM
Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024
10am – 11am PDT
Overdose Prevention Focus Group Meetings

Registration is required by scanning QR code or clicking HERE.

10/24/2024
Thursday, October 24th, 2024
6:30am – 1pm PDT
2024 DRSC Safety Summit
In Person or Webinar

DRSC is a nonprofit organization made up of railroad professionals, government officials, law enforcement, engineers, educators, and private citizens who share a profound concern for safety at highway-railroad crossings and along railways. The Council was founded on April 30, 1994, as an outgrowth of a Railroad Safety Task Force called for by the Chairman of the DuPage County Board. Since that time, the Council has met regularly to examine ways to heighten awareness and improve safety at highway-railroad crossings and to work with civic, law enforcement and railroad leaders to prevent deaths and injuries along railways.

IN THE NEWS

This section includes news that intersects with our local suicide prevention work:

https://smcl.org/blogs/post/988-a-lifeline-for-mental-health-support
https://star-vista.org/news/2024/september-is-suicide-prevention-month-spm/

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES

CRISIS RESOURCES

NON-CRISIS RESOURCES

BE SENSITIVE, BE BRAVE

This is a two-hour foundational workshop that infuses culture and diversity throughout. The County offers a Mental Health version and a Suicide Prevention version.MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

This is an eight-hour skills-based training course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health or substance uses signs or crises. The County offers a youth and adult version of this workshop.

For more information about both trainings above, please contact: Sylvia Tang stang@smcgov.org

CALL TO ACTION!

We have the power to make a difference.
By spreading awareness, providing support, and advocate for change, we can help people create aa world where they feel seen, heard, and supported. Here are ways you can help:

Actively participate in the next SPC meeting:
Tuesday, October 1st, 2024, 1:30pm-3:00pm
Web Browser: https://zoom.us/j/410362485 
(Meeting ID: 410 362 485)
One-Tap Phone: +16699006833,,410362485#
Phone (dial-in): +1 669 900 6833 US
(San Jose) Meeting ID: 410 362 485

Invite Someone New!
Ask new stakeholder, partner, agency, organization, community member to join the SPC mailing list.

Announcements?
Have an important commission meeting?
Upcoming event you would like to highlight?
Send an email by the second Tuesday of each month for co-chairs review to: walter.ng@star-vista.org

QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK?
READY TO GET INVOLVED?
CONTACT US!

Martha Cervantes, LMFT #129448 (She/Her)
Director of StarVista Crisis Services
martha.cervantes@star-vista.org
(650) 208 – 3057

Sylvia Tang, MPP (She/Her)
Community Health Planner
San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services (BHRS) Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE)
stang@smcgov.org
(650) 208 – 5799

Walter Ng (He/Him)
Program Coordinator of StarVista Crisis Services
walter.ng@star-vista.org
(650) 722 – 7652

2024 Suicide Prevention Month: 988

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Need help right now? The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is open 24/7, confidential, and free of charge. When you call or text 988, or chat on the website, you’ll be connected with a trained counselor who will listen to what you’re going through without judgment. And they’ll work with you to create a plan to keep you safe. You can also contact 988 if you’re worried about someone in your life. Get in touch on your own, or together. Call or text 988 on your phone, or chat on mobile or desktop at https://988lifeline.org/chat/

Events happening this week:
💜9/26 – You Matter: Youth Suicide Prevention Day at allcove in San Mateo
💜 9/30 – Reconozca las Señales de Suicidio en la Comunidad Latinx at 650 Main St, Redwood City

Presenting on Culturally Infused Community Training for Suicide Prevention – Be Sensitive, Be Brave

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Last week in Morgan Hill (9/12/2024), I attended the Santa Clara County’s Suicide Prevention Conference and participated in a presentation titled, “Increasing the Accessibility of Suicide Prevention Community Trainings via Language Translation vs. Cultural Adaptation: Lessons Learned.” The presentation was led by Dr. Joyce Chu (co-creator of Be Sensitive Be Brave training for mental health and suicide prevention: https://www.smchealth.org/bsbb) and featured community partners for Vietnamese adaptation (Dr. Kathlyn Clementelli) and Tongan adaptation (Leafa Taumoepeau and Maata Misinale. I’m so grateful for each of them!

The lessons learned were so insightful and left the audience thinking about cultural adaptations for different communities, including food, storytelling and working with trusted institutions (community center, church).

Below are links with more suicide prevention information/resources: 

September Suicide Prevention Month: https://smcsuicideprevention.com/

Suicide Prevention Program/Committee: https://www.smchealth.org/suicide-prevention

Written by Sylvia Tang (she/her), BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity Community Health Planner and Suicide Prevention Committee Co-Chair

2024 Suicide Prevention Month: 2SLGBTQIA+

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When it comes to 2SLGBTQIA+ mental health and suicide prevention, community is a powerful and protective force. Individuals thrive when they’re accepted and embraced by family, friends, and peers. If you’re 2SLGBTQIA+ and having a tough time, there are always people you can talk to. Connect with @trevorproject or @translifeline, or find the 2SLGBTQIA+ community center nearest to you.

Events happening this week:
💜 9/19 – Reconozca las Señales de Suicidio en la Comunidad Latinx at Eedwood City Public Library
💜 9/23 – Reconozca las Señales de Suicidio en la Comunidad Latinx at 650 Main St, Redwood City
💜9/26 – You Matter: Youth Suicide Prevention Day at allcove in San Mateo

For more information on suicide prevention, go to https://smcsuicideprevention.com (link in bio) #SuicidePrevention #SuicidePreventionMonth

2024 Suicide Prevention Month | Spotify Playlist

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If you’re looking for a pick-me-up, some warm vibes, and supportive voices in your ear, we’ve got them—from Brandy and Billie Eilish to the White Stripes and Bill Withers.

Check out our Love Over Loneliness playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5RW1D4d1co 3GXGjyD9Qav7?si=50babb9902dd4e86 (link in bio)

Events happening this week:
💜9/18 – Seeing Through Stigma: Suicide Awareness | Burlingame
💜 9/18 – Community Care Package Workshop & Social | San Mateo Pride Center

9/25, 10/9 & 10/22- Overdose Prevention Focus Group

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San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services is inviting you to participate in a Focus Group that will inform the development of an overdose prevention coalition! We are building a county-wide coalition to reduce the number of overdose deaths, increase access to recovery and treatment services, and improve the overall health of our community!

We need to hear from you! Your concerns, Your priorities, Your solutions!

Please join one of the following focus group sessions!

·       Wednesday, September 25th, 4-5 pm at Voices of Recovery, 650 Main Street, Redwood City

·       Wednesday, October 9th, 5-6 pm at Oceana High School, Pacifica

·       Tuesday, October 22nd, 10-11 am, Virtual (To receive the Zoom link, click Meeting Registration – Zoom)

Please see the attached handout and share this invitation with any concerned members of our community!

For more information, visit https://www.smchealth.org/overdosepreventioncoalition.

Overdose Coalition Focus GroupsDownload

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