Category Archives: County

BHSA 3-Year Integrated Plan Community Survey

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Hello! You are invited to participate in the Prop 1 – Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) Three-Year Integrated Plan Community Survey. The goal of the survey is to gather community perspectives and prioritize strategies related to seven statewide behavioral health goals, to help inform the BHSA Three-Year Integrated Plan. Through this survey, we want to hear from you on which strategies will have the greatest impact over the next three years. Your input is very valuable and appreciated! 

The survey is anonymous and should take approximately 7-10 minutes to complete. Thank you for your participation! 

For English: CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY (ENG), or copy and paste the URL into your browser: https://tinyurl.com/BHSA-Community-Survey

For Spanish: ClICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY (SP), or copy and paste the URL into your browser: https://tinyurl.com/BHSA-Community-Survey-Spanish

If you have any questions or challenges accessing the survey link, please contact Sofia Recalde at srecalde@smcgov.org. Thank you for your participation!

FREE Thanksgiving Day Meal @ the King Center in San Mateo

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Greetings Community, 

Samaritan House is hosting a FREE Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 27th from 11:30am-3:30pm at the Martin Luther King Community Center, 725 Monte Diablo Avenue in San Mateo. In addition to a meal, there will be raffles, music and community connections.

The flier is attached in multiple languages.

Please share with others! Everyone is welcome!

Thanksgiving Day Meal 11.27.25Download

BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity Wins 2025 Countywide Dance-Off! 

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The BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE) danced their way to victory in the 2025 Countywide Dance-Off Video Competition, proudly taking home the first-ever Dance-Off Trophy! Competing under the name “Keeping It ODE School,” the team impressed with their creativity, rhythm, and infectious joy, earning top marks for spirit, teamwork, and inclusivity.

What made this year’s win even more meaningful was ODE’s commitment to making their performance accessible and inclusive for all participants. The team designed their performance to be ADA-accessible, ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, could participate fully and comfortably. This intentional inclusivity reflects BHRS’s core values and demonstrates how fun and equity can go hand in hand.

Beyond the dance floor, this win highlights the importance of staff wellness, morale, and connection. In a field where we spend so much time supporting others, it’s vital to nurture our own sense of joy and belonging. The dance competition offered a chance for movement, laughter, and creativity, building stronger bonds among colleagues and reinforcing the healing power of fun and community.

Participating in this friendly countywide challenge also fostered team building and connection, allowing staff to engage in new ways outside their usual roles. The experience showcased ODE’s collaborative spirit, positive energy, and unwavering commitment to equity in all that they do.

As the proud recipients of the first County Dance-Off Trophy, Keeping It ODE School encourages other BHRS teams to join the fun next year! This competition isn’t just about winning, it’s about wellness, inclusion, and celebrating the creativity that makes our workforce so vibrant.

Congratulations to the ODE team for setting the standard for joy, inclusion, and community connection, one dance step at a time!

10/22 – 18th Annual Housing Hero Awards Photovoice Pop-Up

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We are excited to announce that this year’s 18th Annual Housing Hero Awards will feature a Photovoice Pop-Up! This Photovoice Pop-Up intends to recognize housing stability and its importance in one’s journey to recovery from co-occurring substance use, mental health and primary health issues. Additionally, this event will feature displayed photovoices from our previous Housing Photovoice session facilitated by Senior Community Worker/Housing Specialist, Lee Harrison.

No registration needed for this event. Just come to the award ceremony and complete a Photovoice as you please.

HH PV Pop-Up + FlyerDownload

David Lewis Nomination Form – Deadline 8/15

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2024 David Lewis Award Recipient, Voices of Recovery

Nomination form for the 2024 David Lewis Award is now open. Deadline to submit nomination form is August 15th, 2025.

This award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to substance abuse recovery through successful programs, community education, stigma reduction or client advocacy. David Lewis was a long-term employee of San Mateo County Health. He was the co-founder and president of the Board of Directors of “Free at Last,” a substance abuse treatment and prevention agency in East Palo Alto that seeks to break the cycle of addiction, rebuild families, foster education and economic self sufficiency, and contribute to the health and safety of the community.

Download nomination form below.

David Lewis Award nomination form_fillable_2025Download

See other Behavioral Health Commission Awards here.

Photovoice Wellness Series – Starting 8/6/25

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Hello,

I am excited to announce that in recognition of National Wellness Month, we will be conducting a Photovoice series throughout the month of August and into early September. National Wellness Month reminds us to promote self-care and healthy practice that enhances one’s mental and emotional wellbeing. For this reason, the session will be focused asking participants how they foster wellness for their behavioral health. By sharing stories and photos related to wellness, we emphasize the importance of taking care of oneself just in time for Suicide Prevention month in September.  

Sessions will occur from 4:30 to 6:30 pm in-person at 310 Harbor Blvd, Building E, Belmont on August 6th, 13th, 20th and the last session will occur on September 3rd.

To register, interested participants can fill out an application via this link, or contact me via email my at Nkelleher@smcgov.org. If you have any questions or would like to refer any clients or community members, please do not hesitate to reach out to me! We will close the application once we have confirmed a maximum of 10 participants. In order to participate in this series, participants must be committed to attending all 4 sessions. 

Please see the flyer below for more details.  

PV Wellness SessionDownload

Photovoice Pop-Up at Pride Celebration Uplifts LGBTQ+ Voices

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On Saturday, June 14th, the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Office of Diversity and Equity’s Pride Initiative hosted their 13th annual Pride event for Pride month. At this event, the Storytelling Photovoice program hosted their first “Photovoice Pop-Up” to celebrate Pride month. The Pop-Up was inspired by San Mateo County Office of Epidemiology and Evaluation’s (OEE) recent study on LGBTQ+ Health. The study found that the LGBTQ+ community is one to experience the biggest health and social disparities . According to their findings, the 29.4% of the SMC LGBTQ+ community has experienced difficulty getting to see a physician in the past year. In addition, 53.9% of the SMC LGBTQ+ community would not know where to access treatment for drug related problems if needed (OEE). The study also found that 56.6% of the LGBTQ+ community has experienced symptoms of depression in the last 2 years. Overall, the OEE’s study concluded that, “Historically, LGBTQ+ individuals have experienced high levels of discrimination, stigma, and barriers to competent health care, which are still impacting the health of this community today.”  

In an effort to address the behavioral health barriers, equity, and stigma experienced by the SMC LGBTQ+ groups, this Pride Photovoice activity encouraged all Pride event attendees and the larger LGBTQ+ community to answer the questions “What does LGBTQ+ wellness mean to you?” and/or “Celebrating Pride is important because…”. Participants could simply write their responses to these questions, or they could pair their response with a corresponding polaroid picture they took at the event. This Pride Photovoice Pop-Up provided participants an outlet to amplify behavioral needs, while learning about BHRS Pride services that are aligned with the LGBTQ+ community. In sharing one’s story, LGBTQ+ community and all Pride attendees had the opportunity to advocate and amplify LGBTQ+ representations it relates to behavioral health needs, destigmatizing one’s behavioral health condition, all while promoting self-affirmation and empowerment during Pride month and beyond. When a participant finished their Photovoice, they had the chance to hang their final project at our booth for other viewers to see, ultimately inspiring and encouraging other Pride attendees to participate in the Photovoice Pop-Up booth. When attendees left the event, they had the chance to take home their final photovoice to keep, or they donated their final Photovoice to the Photovoice program for other clients to see at our office in Belmont.  

Overall, this Pop-Up was a success in amplifying the inequities endured by the LGBTQ+ community. The more that people participated and hung their photovoices, the more that other attendees were drawn to the booth and wanted to participate themselves. Unlike our usual Photovoice, we had a lot of participation from children/youth and their parents. It was immensely impactful to see younger generations share their answers to these very important framing questions. We are thankful to everyone who came to our pop-up, and we look forward to implementing this type of Photovoice activity within other Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Office of Diversity and Equity events.  

To see more photovoices from this pop-up, visit our ODE Storytelling webpage. If you are interested in partaking in a full 4-part Photovoice session, please contact our Storytelling Program Coordinator, Nicoletta Kelleher at nkelleher@smcgov.org.  

2025 PRIDE Celebration Was Louder and Prouder Than Ever!

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On Saturday, June 14th, San Mateo County’s 13th Annual Pride Parade and Celebration united over 7000 community members in a vibrant display of LGBTQ+ pride, resilience, and joy. Centered on the theme “Breaking Boundaries, Shaping Futures,” the event uplifted visibility, equity, and community healing.

The day began with a community filled parade through downtown San Mateo, culminating in Central Park. Marchers, county leaders, community organizations, and allies filled the streets with affirming banners, rainbow flags, and cheers, demonstrating unity and inclusion.

The celebration continued in Central Park with live performances, wellness activities, food trucks, and roughly 78 booths comprised of local vendors and community resource tables. Free, family-friendly, and sober, the event offered a welcoming space for all ages, featuring children’s programming, intergenerational activities, and pet-assisted therapy to promote connection and well-being.

Organized by the San Mateo County Pride Initiative within Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, the event reflected the County’s commitment to fostering equity, inclusion, and belonging. It was not only a celebration, but a space for community education, empowerment, and visibility.

Pride is more than a celebration, it’s a protective factor for behavioral health. LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly youth, face elevated risks of depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicidality due to stigma and discrimination. Events like this offer affirming, trauma-informed spaces that build resilience and promote wellness.

By championing visibility, decreasing stigma and sharing behavioral health resources, San Mateo County Pride strengthens community bonds and advances its vision for everyone in San Mateo County to live longer and healthier lives.

Written by Dr. Maria Lorente Foresti, Directors of BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity

Congratulations to our 2025 Tony Hoffman Awards Recipients!

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On Wednesday, 5/7/25, at College of San Mateo, the San Mateo County Behavioral Health Commission had seven incredible recipients for the Tony Hoffman Awards!

The Tony Hoffman Community Mental Health Services Award recognizes individuals, professionals, businesses, and media who have made an extraordinary difference in the lives of individuals living with mental health challenges and the communities in which they live. This year’s recipients included a diverse group of individuals representing BHRS programs and staff, partner agencies, media outlets, peers and youth leaders. The Board of Supervisors recognized and honored each recipient of the Tony Hoffman Community Mental Health Service Award for making an extraordinary difference in the lives of people with mental health challenges and the San Mateo County community.

About the recipients:

  • Under the leadership of Waynette Brock, One New Heartbeat brings peer-led support to individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges and to their families, and to those providing peer support services. The names of some of the services provided by One New Heartbeat illustrate the span of comprehensive, evidence-based, trauma-informed services provided: WRAP (wellness and recovery action plan) support group, training facilitators for Alternatives to Suicide groups and MHFA, Journaling Out Loud, Evidence-Based Parenting Program, Strengthening the Peer Workforce, Family Interventions. Waynette’s compassionate treatment of her fellow human beings and investment in all our wellness is remarkable. One New Hearbeat is an asset we celebrate today in San Mateo County. 
  • Kingdom Love, under direction of Lisa Mena, orchestrates the delivery of Be Sensitive Be Brave and Mental Health First Aid trainings to our San Mateo County community. There are so many components that contribute to community members receiving trainings tailored to them, and leaving the trainings uplifted and empowered, recharged with resilience, able to support those around them. It is fabulous to have expert facilitators for the trainings. It is even more exciting that community members with lived experience are being trained and are co-leading the trainings. These trainings are customized by language and location where they are held, recognizing the many factors that contribute to learners feeling safe and supported. I have hosted trainings in different community groups with whom I am associated. It is amazing to see stigma decrease, to see conversations start to happen, to see people find new ways to support each other in wellness. Kingdom Love Rocks!
  • In response to the growing local need of mental health resources, the San Mateo County Mayors Mental Health Initiative was launched in January 2022 by Redwood City Mayor Giselle Hale and San Carlos Mayor Sara McDowell. Mayor of South San Francisco Eddie Flores and former Mayor and current Council Member of Pacifica Mary Bier also joined the Steering Committee and have provided valuable leadership and expertise related to the behavioral health field.  In April 2022, the Mayors Mental Health Initiative collaborated with San Mateo County Executive Office and Behavioral Health Services Office of Diversity and Equity to secure $200,000 of funding to provide Mental Health First Aid and Be Sensitive Be Brave trainings free to the community. Local city elected officials and staff not only supported the hosting of these trainings but also participated in these trainings to expand the supportive network for mental health. And in August 2022, the Mayors Mental Health Initiative collaborated with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to invest $250,000 for mental health services provided by three non-profits – Star Vista, Daly City Youth Health Center and the Una Vida program through One Life Counseling.  
  • The San Mateo County Behavioral Health Commission’s Youth Action Board 2024-2025 Cohort (YAB) exemplifies extraordinary leadership in transforming mental health services for young people. This diverse group of 12 young leaders, ranging from high school sophomores to college students, has demonstrated remarkable commitment to improving mental health awareness and access across the continuum of care. Their accomplishments include organizing the Uplifting Youth Voice Summit in partnership with the San Mateo County of Education, allcove San Mateo and Youth Leadership Institute, creating a safe space for adolescents to discuss mental health concerns and service gaps as part of United for Youth Wellbeing Vision 2030. Significantly, they are pioneering the Pathways Prototype’s development, an innovative system designed to connect youth and families with mental health services through any entry point, emphasizing empathy and cultural competency throughout the process. The YAB is also developed a youth-centered survey and focus group design to gather perspectives for a county youth crisis stabilization center and provided crucial youth expertise to the Mobile Crisis Response Team media campaign. These young leaders are dismantling mental health stigma by centering youth voices in policy discussions and service design. Their work embodies the spirit of the Tony Hoffman Award through advocacy, innovative program creation, and compassionate support for vulnerable populations.  
  • Cynthia Castro is a long-time resident of Redwood City, an active member of the Latino/a/x Collaborative, and a devoted mother who has lovingly supported her child through significant behavioral health challenges since early childhood. In 2016, she became a Health Ambassador for San Mateo County BHRS, a role that beautifully reflects her passion for helping others. Cynthia has been a tireless advocate for community wellness, consistently demonstrating her deep commitment to improving the health and well-being of San Mateo County residents. Through her involvement in the Health Ambassador Program, she has played a vital role in bringing BHRS resources to the community and expanding outreach efforts with warmth and compassion. Cynthia’s courage in sharing her lived experience—both as someone who has faced behavioral health challenges and as a mother walking alongside her child—has made a profound impact. Whether at community meetings, events, HAP presentations, or the Reconozca las Señales workshop, her voice has helped break down stigma, open hearts, and inspire others to seek help and healing. 
  • Deputy Sheriff Joaquin Moreno is a bilingual and bicultural School Resource Officer who plays a vital role in community engagement through the Sheriff’s Activities League and the Community Alliance to Revitalize Our Neighborhoods (CARON). His presence reflects a deep commitment to building trust and fostering positive relationships within the San Mateo County community. Deputy Moreno is especially recognized for his compassionate work with the behavioral health community. Through educational programs like the Parent Project and the CARON Academy, he facilitates impactful workshops for underserved communities, using a trauma-informed lens that emphasizes respect, empathy, and cultural sensitivity. His strong awareness of how culture and trauma effects individuals, particularly those experiencing behavioral health challenges—has been a calming and empowering force during times of heightened anxiety and uncertainty. In every interaction, whether in workshops or law enforcement responses, Deputy Moreno approaches community members with care, prioritizing safety, building trust, and creating a sense of hope. His ability to connect with others continues to inspire and uplift those he serves.  
  • William Elting has consistently been a dedicated volunteer with BHRS in multiple projects, including years of advocating for better crisis response services. Last Fall, William spearheaded the creation of a document in support of expansion of peer support services and its proclamation by the Board of Supervisors. For this project he collaborated with OCFA and the Advocacy Council. William has kept the momentum going by continuing to advocate gathering the support of a growing list of signatories. William is an active member of The San Mateo County Behavioral Health Youth Committee and participated in various Youth Mental Wellness Pathways Workshop throughout the county to create clear, culturally sensitive, and compassionate access to mental health care for youth and families. The pilot aimed to gather lived experiences, share navigation insights, and collect early input for a simple, empowering “pathways” tool to guide users through the system with clarity and support. William has always been very committed to supporting the vision of BHRS and is a fantastic collaborator. 

5/17 – Rooted in Wellness | Phoenix Garden

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Join us for a rejuvenating morning of community wellness as we connect with nature and each other at the Phoenix Garden.  Begin your day with a peaceful walking meditation through our lavender labyrinth, followed by a gentle yoga session to awaken your body and mind.  Get your hands in the soil with guided gardening activities, including planting your own take-home garden treasure and contributing to the beauty of our shared space through weeding and mulching.  As we conclude our time together, gather in a spirited drumming circle to celebrate our collective energy and the therapeutic benefits of gardening for wellbeing

Date: Sat, 5/17
Time: 9AM-1PM
Location: 222 Paul Scannell Drive, San Mateo (Across from Youth Services Center)
For more info, email Regina Moreno at RMoreno@smcgov.org.

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