Category Archives: Community Education

8/10 – Latino/a/x Community Assessment Report in Half Moon Bay

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Please join Ayudando Latinos a Soñar (ALAS) and partner agencies as they present the findings of the Latino/a/x community assessment! Attached are the flyers for the August 10th presentation. There will be refreshments before the presentation, which will include community entertainment. Please note that the event will be to give back to the community with the data the community provided for the assessment. The data presentation will be conducted in Spanish. There will be interpreter devices available for those who need it, a great opportunity to get a sense of what it’s like for communications to happen through devices! 

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Rae Abileah at rae@alasdreams.com and let her know if you need an interpreter device.

If you have any questions, please email Edith Cabuslay at ecabuslay@smcgov.org.

Why say “BIPOC” Instead of “Minority?

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Happy BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color ) Mental Health Awareness Month! The way we talk about things can often influence the way we think about them. In the field of mental health, we often talk about using  “person first” language. This is language that prioritizes the identity of individuals as human beings first over their mental health status (e.g. saying “person with schizophrenia” instead of “schizophrenic”). This concept should be used as well in the way we refer to communities. The use of “minority” labels BIPOC communities in terms of their quantity instead of their quality. The term “minority” also emphasizes the power differential between “majority” and “minority” groups and can imply “minority” is synonymous with inferiority.

Though “minority” may continue to be used in academic spaces, the words the mental health community uses should be mindful of how these terms create and perpetuate negative images and stereotypes of those that identify as BIPOC. By including “BI” Black and Indigenous in addition to “POC” people of color, we are also honoring the intersectional experiences of Black and Indigenous individuals and their communities, as well as the spectrum of existence and experience by POC.  

Learn more about  BIPOC Mental Health and San Mateo County BHRS’ Health Equity Initiatives.

Learn more about BHRS’ Office of Diversity and Equity here.    

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Adds Spanish Text and Chat Service Ahead of One-Year Anniversary

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One year after the rollout of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its 988 Lifeline partners announced the addition of Spanish text and chat services. Specialized services for LGBTQI+ youth and young adults were also added earlier this month, following a successful pilot test. The 988 Lifeline is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive strategy to address the nation’s mental health crisis, and to date, the Administration has invested nearly $1 billion into this life-saving initiative. This investment is driving an increase in calls, texts and chats, with nearly 5 million contacts answered in the past year — and helped millions of people in crisis.

More information on the new services here.

7/15- Heart & Soul Presents No! Not My Son + Panel

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Heart & Soul is proud to present “No! Not My Son”, an original recovery drama by Rodney E. James on Saturday, July 15, 2023 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm. The play examines the intersections of family trauma and co-occurring substance use in the community, specifically as it relates to our veterans. This dramatic production takes a poignant look at the highs and lows of a family and a community in the grips of drug addiction, and the toll that it takes on each person. Set in the Vietnam era, when many of our young men were returning from war with their childhood hopes and dreams shattered by addiction, Rodney tells the story of a family and community like many others then, and many others now. “No! Not My Son” speaks to our hearts in a way that is touching, thought provoking, and informative with that touch of humor that has become the trademark of playwright Rodney E. James. It is truly a play that offers a solution!

Join our Courageous Conversation! We will feature a panel discussion and Q&A to hear the voices of individuals with lived experience of mental health and recovery challenges, including playwright Rodney. They will offer their personal perspectives on mental wellness, speaking from a variety of viewpoints.

Our Resource Cafe will highlight Heart & Soul’s Partner Agencies, providing resources, support, and connection for our mental health and recovery community.

Refreshments are included with your ticket purchase. Theater location will be on your E-Ticket.

Purchase your ticket here.

Big Smiles & Beautiful Conversations at AACI and VoRSMC 23′ Juneteenth Celebration

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Thank you, all who joined us for African American Community Initiative (AACI) and Voices of Recovery San Mateo (VorSMC)’s 2nd annual Juneteenth Celebration on Friday, June 16th 2023.

Special highlights from this event include a resource fair which included or harm reduction table and Student National Medical Association (SNMA) at Stanford School of Medicine who provide health checks for the community. Musical selections were provided by Q Smith, Praise dancing performances were provided by SherOnMyPraise Ministries. and drumming provided by Onye Health and Well Being in Drumming. Thank you also Supervisor Noelia Corzo and Mayor Lisa Gauthier of East Palo Alto for attending and speaking.

The event also included a panel discussion focused on health and other topics. Panelists included Ja’Net Lawrence, Darris Young, Dwyane Aikens Jr., Bunmi Fariyike, Maximillian Bailey, Nnamdi Orakpo, MD, PhD, and Keon Pearson, MD/MBA.

This event was held virtually with approximately 130 people attending in-person and approximately 50 people attending online.

About African American Community Initiative
The mission of the African American Community Initiative is to become a known resource for African American Community members facing challenges with finding and utilizing mental health services, while addressing inequalities faced by African Americans in our county.  Our vision is to build a community driven support system for reducing mental health and substance use treatment disparities, and the stigma of mental illness.  Learn more about AACI here.

Meet ODE’s Workforce, Education and Training (WET) Team!

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Angela Quiroz, Elise Cabilatazan, Andrew Tardiff, Stacy Williams, Irene Pham

The love of learning, hope for growth and passion to be part of the fight for equity are some of the values that drives BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity‘s WET team. The WET team, consisting of new and seasoned members, is excited to come together to continue fostering growth within our system while also seeking to accomplish established goals and support the learning needs of our staff through a variety of trainings, workshops, and programs.

In the upcoming fiscal year, the WET team is striving to bring back a number of trainings both in-person and virtual including Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Prevention and Management of Assaultive Behavior, and Motivational Interviewing, to name a few, as well as increasing staff’s access to Continuing Education (CE) eligible trainings.

Moreover, the internship program is spurring to action and preparing to welcome our next round of clinical and ODE interns. The WET team is kicking things off with an in-person orientation; an event that has not happened in 2 years due to the pandemic. A number of interns will benefit from being identified as cultural stipend participants and have the opportunity to work alongside one of the Health Equity Initiatives (HEIs) on a community related project. The internship program is also being revamped to include new outreach strategies to help bolster the training opportunities offered in our county.

We aim to do our part to support our teams with their professional and personal growth and will continue to look for ways to improve and excel.

Written by Irene Pham (she/her), BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity

PRIDE is in full effect for San Mateo County’s 11th annual pride celebration!

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On Saturday, June 10th San Mateo County celebrated its 11th PRIDE event with a fresh, new twist! This year San Mateo County had its first PRIDE parade. Starting at B street in downtown San Mateo and ending at Central Park, LGBTQIA+ community members were able to march and show their authentic selves with the likes of community organizations like the El Camino Reelers as well as a community-led marching band. The theme for this year’s celebration was “Free to be me in 2023”; which is important with the current climate. DJ China G and MC Jeremy Jones kept the crowd entertained with dance tunes and various activities including dance parties, raffles, and walking the runway. And you can’t forget the amazing community vendors that came out to feed our attendees some amazing food; including Tacos El Flamingo, Eats Meets West, Empanada King, and Mr. Softee!

Thousands of San Mateo County residents came out to celebrate, show support, and express themselves in their authentic skin. Older adults, younger generations, and everyone in between showed up and showed out for this cherished safe space. The County of San Mateo is a proud supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community and the support from our residents was beautiful to see. Behavioral Health Recovery Services (i.e. Heart & Soul/ Voices of Recovery/ San Mateo Pride Center/ Etc..) were out in full effect to provide mental health and equity resources to anyone in need. San Mateo County is proud to be an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community and are proud to have seen such a turnout at the PRIDE celebration.

Written by Kai Thornton (he/she/they), BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity

6/14 – Celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month

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  • Join us at the Redwood City Public Library's Makerspace on June 14, 2023, at 7pm to honor the history and accomplishments of our immigrant communities through creativity!
  • Unase a nosotros en el Makerspace de la biblioteca pública de Redwood City el 14 de Junio, 2023 a las 7 de la noche para honrar la historia y los logros de nuestras comunidades inmigrantes a través de la creatividad!
  • 请于2023年6月14日晚上7点来到红木城公共图书 馆的创客空间，通过创意来纪念我们的移⺠社区的 历史和成就!

June is National Immigrant Heritage Month! Join San Mateo County’s Office of Consumer Affairs in the Makerspace on June 14th, Wednesday, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. as we explore innovative and creative ways to celebrate the history and achievements of our immigrant communities. Decorate Epilog Laser Cutter wooden bookmarks or tell your story using heart map magnets. Learners of all ages and experience levels are welcome.

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