Category Archives: Health Equity

5/26 – Comprendiendo el Trauma en la Comunidad Latiné | Understanding Trauma in the Latiné Community

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Hola,

Aprenda cómo el trauma impacta a las comunidades latiné, incluyendo experiencias relacionadas con la inmigración y las barreras para acceder a servicios, y explore recursos culturalmente sensibles y centrados en la equidad.

Presentadora invitada: Lorena Avitea, LCSW
Fecha: Martez, 5/26/26
Tiempo: 3:30PM-5PM (Durante la reunión mensual de Latino/a/x Collaborative)

Este entrenamiento se ofrecerá en español con interpretación al inglés

Más información: Gaby Perez (Gaperez@smcgov.org) | Pati Ramirez (Patti@alasdreams.com)

Hello,

Learn how trauma impacts Latiné communities, including immigration experiences and barriers to care, and explore culturally responsive, equity-centered resources.

Guest Presenter: Lorena Avitea, LCSW
Date: Tues, 5/26/26
Time: 3:30PM-5PM (During the monthly Latino/a/x Collaborative Meeting)

This training will be provided in Spanish with English interpretation.

More information: Gaby Perez (Gaperez@smcgov.org) | Pati Ramirez (Patti@alasdreams.com)

5/21 – Providing Therapy to Our Native & Indigenous Communities

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Hello,

Join us for an informative workshop on how to support Mayan Communities, what a focus on understand their unique challenges, barriers to behavioral health access, and the factors that influence their well-being.

Workshop will be led by Hildeberto Ruiz-Jarquin. Speakers will be Maestra Lydia Candila Chan and Lazaro Lorenzo.

RSVP at this link or use QR code from flyer: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CSIPNIPI

Be Sensitive, Be Brave: Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Training for the Black Community -Interest Form

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BACHAC in partnership with Community Connections Psychological Associates, Inc. and San Mateo County Health – Behavioral Health & Recovery Services are offering, Be Sensitive, Be Brave: Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Training for the Black Community. 

Join a powerful, culturally-infused training series designed for the Black/African American community in San Mateo County. This FREE workshop equips participants with tools to recognize signs of emotional distress, have courageous conversations about suicide, connect individuals to support, and build resilience within our communities.

Participants will also have the opportunity to share their voice through a follow-up focus group to help shape a curriculum that truly reflects and serves the Black community. Trainings will be held in May 2026 (in-person and virtual options available), and participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card, with refreshments provided for in-person sessions.

High school students and adults can sign up to express their interest in creating a more responsive, stigma-free approach to mental health care. Trainings will be held in May.  

BSBB for Black African American Flier Interest formDownload

Chinese Health Initiative Rings In the Year of the Horse!

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The Chinese Health Initiative (CHI) hosted its annual Chinese New Year celebratory in-person meeting on Friday, February 13, 2026 honoring the Year of the Horse. Community members, CHI participants, and partners came together to celebrate the holiday in a space that uplifted culture, community connection, and shared learning. Participants were invited to share their lived experiences and family traditions for observing Chinese New Year, creating opportunities for storytelling, reflection, and cultural exchange. The event also introduced CHI members to Stephanie Chen, a professional Chinese movement dancer, who performed traditional dances and shared insights into the cultural significance of the art form, and facilitated a group activity inviting participants to learn and practice simple movements together.

The celebration provided space for community members to connect, learn from one another, and honor cultural traditions. Events like this help foster belonging, strengthen community partnerships, and support culturally responsive engagement.

Written by Tia Bell, BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity, Health Equity Initiative Coordinator

2/21- 2026 Black History Month Educational Experience

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Mark your calendars! African American Community Initiative (AACI) is hosting their 2026 Black History Month celebration! This year’s event will be an educational experience: a tour of the Domini Hoskins Black History Museum & Learning Center in Redwood City. 

Registration is required for this event. See more info below. 

Date: Sat, 2/21/26
Time: 12:00PM- 3:00PM PST
Location: Domini Hoskins Black History Museum & Learning Center (890 Jefferson Ave, Redwood City)
Contact: Dee Pennix at AACIInitiative@gmail.com

Media Notice: 

This event will have photography and videography. Your entrance into the event area constitutes your full consent to being filmed and photographed by the County of San Mateo. The County of San Mateo reserves the right to use any photography or film taken in the event area
without providing compensation to you. Such use by County may include, but is not limited to, postings to social media or websites, and/or use in promotional or informational materials in any medium.

You agree to release and discharge the County of San Mateo, its agents, representatives, assigns, and licensees from all claims, demands, and liabilities arising out of or in connection with the use of your likeness.

Alternatively, if you wish to participate/attend the event, but do not wish to have your photograph used in accordance with the above notice, please contact an Event Organizer. 

Registration Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2026BHM

About AACI:

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 their work here. 

Celebrating 100 Messengers of Hope at the BHRS Health Ambassador Graduation

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On December 12, 2025, San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) celebrated a major milestone at the BHRS Health Ambassador Program (HAP) graduation. Guided by the theme “10 Years of Connection, Trust, and Healing — 100 Messengers of Hope,” the event honored a decade of community-led impact and the largest graduating class in the program’s history.

More than 200 community members, clients, partners, and BHRS staff gathered to celebrate this achievement. With the addition of this cohort, the Health Ambassador Program has surpassed 100 graduates—each one a trusted messenger of hope who bridges systems and communities. Health Ambassadors support individuals, families, and the behavioral health workforce by sharing culturally responsive information, expanding awareness of services, strengthening pathways into behavioral health careers, and connecting people to care throughout San Mateo County.

Data from the Health Ambassador Program year-end report, fiscal year 24-25, reinforces what was felt throughout the celebration. Health Ambassadors consistently report increased confidence, deeper knowledge of behavioral health, and a greater ability to support others in navigating care. Ambassadors most frequently connect people to BHRS clinics and trusted community-based organizations, settings known for accessibility, cultural responsiveness, and community trust. Each Ambassador represents countless conversations, referrals, and moments of support that strengthen the county’s behavioral health ecosystem.

For ten years, the Health Ambassador Program has centered lived experience, cultural humility, and community voice—empowering participants to develop leadership skills, reduce stigma, advocate for wellness, and foster healing through connection. As systems continue to evolve, Health Ambassadors remain essential partners in behavioral health transformation, offering early support, promoting dignity, and ensuring care is navigated with understanding and compassion.

Congratulations to the newest class of BHRS Health Ambassadors and thank you to all who have been part of this ten-year journey. Your voices matter. Your leadership matters. And your impact continues to grow—rippling hope, trust, and healing throughout our communities.

Hispanic Heritage Photovoices Displayed at Sana Sana Colita de Rana Event

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Beginning on September 22nd and finishing on October 20th, the BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity launched their 4-part Hispanic Heritage Photovoice series. This series celebrates Hispanic Heritage month by sharing how one’s family traditions, stories, and/or values connect an individual to their Hispanic heritage. This Photovoice series was particularly impactful because it was our first Spanish Photovoice since the re-launch of Photovoice in 2025. This series was facilitated by our longstanding community partner, Jose Luis Aguirre, who also facilitates our Spanish Parent Project courses. In addition, this series was very important for our Health Ambassador Program as it served as the final course (5 out of the 11 training offerings) for our prospective Health Ambassadors to become official Health Ambassadors. During graduation, we had family guests join and view the final Photovoices.

Now more than ever, it is vital that we celebrate Hispanic Heritage and culture to honor the importance that cultural values and identity plays in one’s behavioral health. For this reason, on Saturday, November 15th, we displayed these Photovoices at our 12th annual Sana Sana Colita de Rana event hosted by our BHRS ODE Health Equity Initiative, Latino/a/x Collaborative. Translated in English and Spanish, the Photovoices successfully promoted the Latino/a/x Collaborative’s mission to enhance health and wellness within the Latino/a/x community in San Mateo County. These final projects were displayed at the event, amplifying Hispanic Heritage while decreasing the stigma associated with seeking behavioral and recovery services and sharing lived experiences.

Written by Nicoletta Kelleher (she/her), BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity

SAVE THE DATE: 11/20- 2025 Transgender Day of Remembrance

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Please save the date for the 2025 Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) on 11/20/25 from 5:30PM-7:30PM at South San Francisco’s Park and Recreation Center (33 Arroyo Dr, SSF). More details about how to RSVP coming soon. 

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.

TDOR 2025 FlyerDownload

10/11/25 – Interfaith National Day of Prayer: Pour Out to Your Higher Power of Hope and Be Filled

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On behalf of the Spirituality Initiative of San Mateo County, we are excited to invite you to our 10th Annual Interfaith National Day of Prayer 2025 at Woodside Road United Methodist Church (2000 Woodside Road, Redwood City), on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. 

Previously held in the San Mateo County Courthouse Courtyard, this year, we move indoors to provide an increased sense of safety and security in these sensitive times. The congregation of Woodside Road United Methodist Church welcomes the opportunity to host a powerful multifaith, multicultural event, centered on the theme “Pour Out to Your Higher Power of Hope and be Filled.”

We are ALL touched by behavioral health challenges, in our lives, often in our families, and certainly in our community. This event brings together diverse people of faith who will join countless others across the country in a national act of defiance for the status quo, surrender, unconditional love, and radical acceptance. We would be honored to have your Health Equity Initiative provide a resource table at the event. We believe that your services are essential to our community and directly align with our mission of providing hope and support through spirituality. Having your Health Equity Initiative present will provide attendees with direct access to vital behavioral health and wellness resources, reinforcing our message of prioritizing faith in one’s journey to wellness and recovery. Your presence would be essential to the spirit and success of this event, and we hope that you can join us.

Please extend a warm invitation to family, friends, and peers.

Sadly, this year’s Interfaith National Day of Prayer may be the last major affirmative act of the Spirituality Initiative, as San Mateo County funding through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) is set to change in July 2026, making your presence and contribution especially meaningful. 

More info at https://www.smchealth.org/dayofprayer

2025 Black History Month Wellness Event Pays Homage to Ancestors

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On Saturday, February 15th, the African American Community Initiative (AACI) celebrated their 7th annual Black History Month celebration at Eastside College Preparatory Academy in East Palo Alto. This event paid homage to the African American/Black ancestors, specifically highlighting African Americans devout contributions to our American history through labor (the national theme was “African Americans & Labor: Paying homage to our ancestors”). The event featured guest presentations from our newest San Mateo County Board Member, Lisa Gauthier, who represents District 4 (East Palo Alto), Behavioral Health, and Recovery Services (BHRS) Director, Dr. Jei Africa, and BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity Director, Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti. Attendees were provided history about African American/Black representation in predominately white work fields, as seen in the video by Misty Copeland, who shared her lived experiences as a Black Principal Ballet Dancer. In addition, attendees learned about the Port Chicago explosion in Suisan Bay and the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black female unit of the United States Army during World War II. Finally, the event celebrated the work of Maurice Goodman, the President of the San Mateo County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) – the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States!

AACI closed out the event with an introduction to the Domini Hoskins Black History Museum and Learning Center in Redwood City, as well as providing some trivia and raffles to the community; all questions related to African American/Black individuals who contributed to American history and those who contributed to San Mateo County workforce. By celebrating Black History, AACI aims to reduce behavioral health treatment disparities, support an inclusive and welcoming environment for our clients and workforce and reduce the stigma around behavioral health challenges with the intention of creating more equitable behavioral health outcomes for our African American and Black community. The African American Community Initiative would like to thank all their guests and presenters for coming together and rejoicing in African American/Black History through music, community resources, speakers, and guest presenters. The African American Community Initiative hopes to see you all for their next event in June for Juneteenth!

To learn more about the African American Community Initiative, or to become a member, click here!

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