Category Archives: San Mateo County

What Are Your Lime Green Flags? Join the social media challenge!

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Hello,

You’ve heard of red flags and green flags.. In the WAYLGF challenge, we are asking people what are their lime green flags. Lime green flags refer to practices or actions that help people be mentally healthy. The challenge name is a play on the national color for mental health awareness which is lime green!

Featured in this video: Dr. Jei Africa (he/him), Director of San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services

Follow SMCHealth’s Facebook and Instagram to keep up with our challenge!

Events happening this week:
💚 5/21: Parent Collaboration- Mental Health in our Community, Pescadero
💚 5/21: Breathwork, Redwood City Public Library
💚 5/22: Essence of Mana Village Walk, Elks Lodge in SSF
💚 5/23: Soul Soup w/ Amber Hines, Brisbane Library

For our full list of free and public events and mental health resources, visit SMCHealth.org/MHM.

Self-Care Everyday: Spiritual Self-Care

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The final, yet equally important, topic in our blog series is spiritual self-care. Nurturing your spirit holds as much significance as caring for your mind and body. Participating in spiritual self-care deepen our sense of purpose and bring more meaning to our lives. 

Although spiritual self-care may sound similar to a religious practice, it does not have to involve specific religious practices. Spiritual self-care encompasses whatever you find meaningful and sacred. Whether you draw meaning from your faith, yourself, relationships, nature, or elsewhere, you can practice spiritual self-care.  

A few examples of spiritual self-care include, but are not limited to: 

  • Make time for reflection  
  • Spend time in nature  
  • Find a spiritual connection or community  
  • Be open to inspiration  
  • Cherish my optimism and hope  
  • Be aware of non-material aspects of life  
  • Be open to not knowing  
  • Identify what is meaningful to you and notice its place in your life  
  • Pray or meditate  
  • Sing   
  • Read inspirational literature or listen to inspirational talks, music 

The possibilities for spiritual self-care are flexible to adapt to individual preferences and needs. By prioritizing spiritual self-care through these practices, we can transform stressful energy into gratitude, both for ourselves and the blessings in our lives. 

My spiritual self-care practice involves prayer and mindfulness meditation. Each morning upon waking, I begin with a prayer for guidance and strength the day ahead. Following prayer, I read a daily devotional and the corresponding scripture. To end my day, I express gratitude for another day of life, acknowledging every day is a blessing to work towards not taking it for granted. After repenting more any mistakes I have made throughout the day and showing gratitude, I end with a 15 to 20-minute mindfulness meditation session. Mindfulness meditation entails observing one’s thoughts without judgement as they arise. This practice enables me to acknowledge troubling thoughts while properly releasing them. Following mindfulness meditation, I typically experience a quieter mind and a clearer perspective on addressing challenges. 

Sources: 

Each Mind Matters: Self-Care Drop in Article (English) 

https://emmresourcecenter.org/resources/self-care-resources

Written by Ayanna Wade (she/her), BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity Intern

5/1 – Loves Does Not Hurt

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Chinese Health Initiative is collaborating with CORA and Star Vista to host a domestic violence awareness workshop on this coming Wednesday, May 1st evening from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. via zoom. Please join if you can and share the flyers with your organization and community. We hope this workshop will bring awareness and foundation knowledge about the domestic violence to the Chinese community. 

Congratulations to Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti for Induction to the San Mateo County Women Hall of Fame!

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On Friday, 3/8/24, at Skyline College, Director of Behavioral Health & Recovery Services Office of Diversity & Equity (ODE), Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti was inducted into the San Mateo County Women Hall of Fame. The ceremony landed on International Women’s Day and was a celebration of incredible women throughout San Mateo County.  

Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti has excelled in many different roles within San Mateo County including a psychologist, behavioral health clinic Unit Supervisor, Parent Project Program Coordinator and Director of ODE. With these different roles, Dr. Lorente-Foresti has made many impactful contributions in advancing the behavioral health & well-being of our San Mateo County community, especially for marginalized and underserved populations. For County community, she has supported the San Mateo County Pride Celebration and Sana Sana Events since inception and developed and implemented policy allowing behavioral health providers and clients to openly talk about how spirituality shapes a participant’s mental health and well-being.  

Dr. Lorente-Foresti’s leadership style is a unique combination of compassion, collaboration and perseverance. She brings these qualities into her work, community and family. In her family she is a single working caregiver supporting her elder parents and her son. In her community, she participates and supports community organizing for racial equity. And in her work, she leads with love and compassion despite forces of fear, hate and racism persisting in many parts of our society. Overall, she has an energy and brightness that shows she never loses sight of humanity and a larger vision where each one of us in San Mateo County may realize a healthy and meaningful life.  

Dr. Lorente-Foresti states in her acceptance speech, “I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina… during this journey my parents and my brother showed me resiliency, how to navigate challenges and the importance of community.” 

As Maria describes impactful moments in her life that shape her work she states, “these experiences are intertwined with my parents instilling in me the values of compassion sacrifice hard work in addition to a deep understanding that to create change you need many hearts and many hands.”  

Additionally, Dr. Lorente-Foresti has empowered staff and local community members to support and advocate for behavioral health equity and social justice for the San Mateo County community. While she advanced the wellness of employees, she also empowers employees to share their voice and shape the behavioral health system they work in and larger communities they are part of. For example, she engages her staff to engage in the unit decision making process as much as possible. She wants her staff to be empowered to shape the work of the team including strategy implementation, operations and employee engagement.  

The Women Hall of Fame recipient also plays a pivotal role in advancing multi-cultural organizational development for San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services, supporting Government Alliance for Racial Equity (GARE) cohort and staff training for San Mateo County Health (now expanded Countywide), serving on the County Equal Employment Opportunity Committee and leading BHRS Health Equity Initiatives for the larger community.  

Once more, congratulations to Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti for the honor she brings to Behavioral Health & Recovery Services!  

Recording of the event will be shared on San Mateo County Youtube.  

Watch CBS’ Coverage of the event here.  

Learn more about the San Mateo County Women Hall of Fame here.  

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

2024 Spring Parent Project Classes are Here!

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Hi, all,

I am excited to announce that the Parent Project® Spring 2024 semester is finally here! Please help spread the word about our Spring 2024 semester by sharing the flyers attached below with your networks and referring your clients to our classes. This semester will feature one virtual English class, beginning on Wednesday, February 28th, and one in-person Spanish class beginning on Thursday, February 29th. Please see the attached flyers for more information. We are expecting to provide more classes beginning in March, so please keep an eye out for my emails in the coming months for more class updates!

Community members can refer to the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Office of Diversity and Equity’s Parent Project® webpage for more information on our upcoming classes, the all-class flyer, and more. If community members prefer other Parent Project® class options, they can refer to the main Parent Project® website to find virtual or in-person classes in their area.  

If you would like to learn more about the Parent Project® program, or if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via my email or phone number at nkelleher@smcgov.org or (650) 649-8411. 

Wednesday-Spring-2024-English-Virtual-ClassDownload
Thursday-Spring-2024-Spanish-In-Person-ClassDownload

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!

Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti Inducted into the 35th SMC Women’s Hall of Fame

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BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity’s very own Maria Lorente Foresti has been selected among six women to be inducted into the 35th San Mateo County Women’s Hall of Fame. More information in press release below.

We would be honored if you are available to attend the ceremony. Event details below.

San Mateo County Women’s Hall of Fame and Young Women of Excellence Ceremony
Date: Friday, March 8
Time: 4-6pm PST
Location: Skyline College – Farallon Room, 3300 College Dr Building 12 (Farallon Room) San Bruno, CA 94066
Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-womens-hall-of-fame-registration-790304019597?aff=oddtdtcreator

Come join us to celebrate Dr. Maria Lorente-Foresti on International Women’s Day!

Press release: https://www.smcgov.org/ceo/news/six-be-inducted-35th-san-mateo-county-womens-hall-fame

2023 Winter Wellness Guide: Plan & Prioritize

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Planning early and prioritizing can make this season LESS overwhelming. Our Winter Mental Wellness Guide shows you how: https://takeaction4mh.com/toolkit…/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)

Hacer planes por adelantado y saber qué es una prioridad para ti puede hacer que esta temporada sea MENOS abrumadora. Nuestra Guía de bienestar mental para la temporada de invierno te enseña cómo: https://takeaction4mh.com/es/toolkit-categories/bienestar-de-invierno/ 

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)

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
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