Category Archives: Community Services

Save the Date: 2024 Pride Parade & Celebration

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You’re invited to join the celebration at our epic 12th Annual San Mateo County Pride Celebration! Kick off the celebration with us at our 2nd Annual Pride Parade beginning at 2nd Street & B Street in San Mateo at 10am. The parade will make its way to the Pride Celebration at San Mateo Central Park from 11am to 5pm.

This event is free and sober. Come enjoy resource and vendor booths, entertainment, food trucks, live DJ, and more!

More info at https://www.smcpridecelebration.com

Survey of LGBTQIA+ Older Adults in California – Deadline 3/31

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Hello,

Attached is information on a survey that the California Department of Aging (CDA) is conducting on LGBTQ+ older adults. Survey can be found on flyer or through this link.

Please share this information with your community (the flyer has a link to the survey) and encourage folks to complete it.

Please reach out to Ranjana Maharaj, Elder Justice Specialist with CA Department of Aging with any questions at EngAGE@aging.ca.gov or 916-272-0738.

LGBTQ-Study-Flyer-1Download
Challenges-to-Resilience-Newsltr-Q124-1Download

Join San Mateo County’s 2024 May Mental Health Month Planning Committee!

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Update: April 18 meeting moved to May 2. See info below.

We welcome you to join our 2024 May Mental Health Month Planning Committee meetings (schedule below and in attached flyer).

Please register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsfuqhqDgqGtRlg10zsFa3Aasvi2sayaqp.  

Day of the WeekDateTimeLocationFocus
ThursdayFeb 153:30-5:00pmZoomIntroduction & Measures of Success
ThursdayMarch 73:30-5:00pmZoomEvents & Advocacy
ThursdayMarch 283:30-5:00pmZoomCommunication & Outreach
ThursdayApril 18
May 2		3:30-5:00pmIn-person at 310 Harbor Blvd Bldg E, BelmontGroup Photo + Outreach Materials
ThursdayJune 63:30-5:00pmZoomDebrief and Appreciation

All except one of our meetings is scheduled to meet virtually. Please see above for details. You can find agenda, minutes and recordings at this website. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, please let us know. We plan to share the meeting recordings and minutes in case anyone wants to catch up or review the meetings. Contact us for questions, comments and suggestions.

Please help us share this message or attached flyer on social media to help us spread the word.

Looking forward to collaborating with you!
Sylvia & Kristie
Co-Chairs, May Mental Health Month Planning Committee Meeting

2024-May-Mental-Health-Planning-Committee-Flyer-Download

Speakers and Artists Requested from San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services – Deadline 2/16

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Greetings,

The San Mateo County Health, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) division is looking to identify qualified Health & Wellness Speakers, Creative and Performance Arts Facilitators.  The speaking topics and arts methods proposed can cover a broad range including, but not limited to:

  • Speakers (e.g., staff engagement, work-life balance and resiliency, vicarious trauma, psychological safety, equity, having difficult conversation, etc.)
  • Creative Arts Therapy and/or Workshop Facilitators (e.g., music, dance, writing, storytelling, collage-making, and painting, etc.)
  • Performance Arts (e.g., ethnic and cultural dance, music, open mics, poetry, spoken word, etc.)

BHRS will be developing a pool of contractors who can provide these different types of services at staff meetings, retreats, community events, conferences, and other venues.  Once the pool of contractors is selected, requests will be made as needed and subject to the contractors’ availability and agreement of the terms of the request

If you are interested in being considered for future requests please provide the following information to HS_BHRS_Communications@smcgov.org by February 16, 2024:

1) Description of the service you provide
2) Proposal or quote for your services, that includes hourly rates and any other cost considerations
3) Outline of your training, presentations and/or link to your website or video samples

Appreciate your consideration and interest in supporting San Mateo County BHRS wellness goals!

2023 Winter Wellness Guide is Here!

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Our new Winter Mental Wellness Guide is here to support your well-being this season. It’s got tips on seasonal planning, setting healthy boundaries, and feeling less overwhelmed. Download it now: https://takeaction4mh.com/toolkit-categories/winter-wellness/

To learn more about behavioral services available in San Mateo County, visit SMCHealth.org/bhrsservices.
You can also call for help by contacting the below numbers available 24/7:
Behavioral Health Crisis: Call 650-579-0350 or 988 (Star Vista Crisis Hotline/National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline)
Behavioral Health Services: Call 800-686-0101 (ACCESS Call Center)

Aquí está nuestra nueva Guía de bienestar mental para la temporada de invierno que llegó para apoyarte. Incluye consejos para que hagas planes para la temporada, pongas límites buenos para ti y para que te sientas menos abrumado. Descárgala ahora: https://takeaction4mh.com/toolkit-categories/winter-wellness/

Para obtener más información sobre los servicios conductuales (servicios de salud mental y uso de sustancias) disponibles en el condado de San Mateo, visite SMCHealth.org/bhrsservices
También puede solicitar ayuda comunicándose con los siguientes números disponibles las 24 horas, los 7 días de la semana:
Behavioral Health Crisis: llame al 650-579-0350 o al 988 (Star Vista Crisis Hotline/National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline)Behavioral Health Services: llame al 800-686-0101 (ACCESS Call Center)

Funding Opportunity to Boost Equity

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Funding Opportunity to Boost Equity: County Seeks Applications in Key Service Areas

housing


The County of San Mateo announced the release of Measure K funding opportunities to provide services for residents in three priority areas: children, families and seniors; emergency preparedness; and housing and homelessness.
“The Board of Supervisors is looking for bold, innovative ideas,” said County Executive Mike Callagy. “This is not about business as usual. This is a great opportunity to make a real difference, to boost equity and to improve lives here in San Mateo County.”

Applicants can be nonprofit organizations, private businesses or joint ventures (individuals are not eligible to apply). Entities of any size are encouraged to apply.

The County anticipates approximately $35 million will be available.

Learn more at our November 10th Pre-Proposal Meeting and Technical Support Session:
November 10, 2023, 10:00am | Agenda | Meeting Link: https://smcgov.zoom.us/j/9404686015

11/20 – 2023 Transgender Day of Remembrance

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In honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), we invite the community to join us at San Mateo Public Library on Monday, November 20, from 4:30-6:30pm.

TDOR has traditionally been about honoring the trans people who have been murdered simply by being themselves (the highest number are Black Transgender women). We want to honor victims’ lives with dignity and end the stigma that trans and gender diverse people face. Ultimately, we want to live in a world where transgender people are protected and safe from transphobia and violence.

This year’s event includes an Altar, Reading of the Names, and a Call to Action. Creating change is difficult; especially when we mourn those who have lost their lives simply for being themselves. We want to honor those who have died and also create ways for our community to learn and take action to eliminate the murder of transgender people. Transgender Day of Remembrance is adjacent to United Against Hate Week 2023. Learn more on the County’s website about how you can take part in other activities throughout the week from November 12-19. 

Register for the event here.

About:
The Transgender Day of Remembrance event is a collaboration between several community organizations around San Mateo County. Please visit each group’s website to learn more about how they support the LGBTQIA+ community. This is where “ally” becomes a verb and we all take part in creating inclusive spaces at home, at work, and at school.

TDOR Eng FlyerDownload
TDOR SP FlyerDownload

Voices of Recovery San Mateo County has Moved!

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VOR-New-Location_10.30.23Download

As of Monday, October 30th, Voices of Recovery San Mateo County (VORSMC) has moved locations from Belmont to 650 Main Street, Redwood City. For hours and more information, email them at info@vorsmc.org.

About Voices of Recovery San Mateo County:
Their mission is to create peer-led opportunities for education, wellness, advocacy and support services for individuals seeking long-term recovery from alcohol and other drugs. VORSMC aims to equally share these opportunities with our vulnerable community members in San Mateo County.  

VORSMC is for every individual seeking and maintaining long-term recovery, including family members, friends, allies and community partners and recovery stakeholders. 

More info on their website here.

Health Ambassadors Make a Strong Presence at 2nd Annual Pink Patch Party

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For San Mateo County’s second annual Pink Patch Party, organized by the San Mateo Police Department, downtown San Mateo was transformed with an abundance of pink, symbolizing unity and support for those affected by breast cancer.  This year’s event was a heartwarming display of solidarity with families, local businesses, public servants, and friends coming together in support of breast cancer awareness. Notably, BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity‘s Health Ambassadors played a pivotal role in the event’s success.

Local organizations and businesses set up booths, offering community members resources and services related to health and wellness, with our Health Ambassadors highlighting valuable behavioral health and recovery resources. Additionally, free mammograms were provided, and collectible uniform “Pink Patches” were sold to raise money for breast cancer research as well as to fund self-care “battle baskets” that provide comfort to those newly diagnosed.  

This event goes beyond the display of pink patches; it embodies a steadfast commitment to those affected by breast cancer and the importance of mental health and well-being.  The Health Ambassadors contributed to this event in a variety of ways including:

  • Health Education: Providing attendees with vital mental health educational materials as well as self-care and wellness tools.
  • Community Engagement: Engaging with the community and fostering meaningful conversations and connections, and sharing lived experiences of courage, strength, and resilience.
  • Resource Connectors: Connecting community members to a wealth of wellness, behavioral health, and recovery resources within the county.
  • Promoters of Inclusivity & Stigma Reduction: Emphasizing the commitment to promoting inclusivity and equitable access to health care services and resources.

The Pink Patch Event is a profound demonstration of community strength and the crucial role of health ambassadors in creating a healthier, united, and inclusive San Mateo County.  Beyond this event, the BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity, through its Health Ambassadors, remains committed to ensuring the well-being of our diverse community.

To learn more about the county’s Health Ambassador Program and be part of a team dedicated to empowering our community members for a healthier and more equitable future, visit: https://www.smchealth.org/general-information/health-ambassador-program.

Written by Isaiah Cajbon (he/him) and Maria Martinez (she/her), BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity

Youth Leaders Share Mental Health Advice to Parents at “What I Wish My Parents Knew” Forum

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In honor of Suicide Prevention Month, BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity’s Chinese Health Initiative partnered with Belmont, Redwood Shore, San Carlos Chinese Community  (BRSCC), and Star Vista’s Health Ambassador Youth Program to host the “What I Wish My Parents Knew” forum on Saturday, September 16, 2023.

The successful forum was led by San Mateo County youths Xin Xin Cai, Anthony Lee, and Anastasia Yang, with over 50 participants of parents, caregivers, and allies. As a way to ensure this forum was accessible to our communities, it was provided in English with Cantonese and Mandarin interpretation.

Youth leaders addressed mental health questions using their lens of the Chinese-American culture and provided insightful advice to parents and mental health clinicians in the audience. They identified the top reasons for not wanting to share about their mental health were stigma and not wanting to worry their parents. One piece of advice offered to address this challenge was for parents and caregivers to talk to teens about their mental health in ways that support teens as independent individuals such as giving them time and space.

To learn more about the Chinese Health Initiative, visit SMCHealth.org/CHI and follow them on Facebook.

Written by Alyson Suzuki, Chinese Health Initiative Co-Chair and Kayla Tolentino, BHRS’ Office of Diversity & Equity

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