Please see the latest issue of the Director’s Newsletter from BHRS Director, Dr. Jei Africa!
Topics include:
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
On Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025, Susan Naify from Sitike Counseling Center, was awarded the 2025 David Lewis Award. The awarding took place at the College of San Mateo and honors individuals who have 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.
About the award recipient:
Susan’s professional, empathetic, and deeply human approach to client care makes her stand out at Sitike Counseling Center. She teaches her colleagues that in this field of service, the language of the heart is the most powerful tool when helping clients navigate recovery. Susan helps clients through the stages of change and creates a safe space for them to explore the underlying issues that may be driving their substance use disorder. In an age of intense physical and electronic record keeping, Susan remains client focused, meeting each person right where they are on their journey and extending a loving, compassionate hand of guidance.
In honor of Suicide Prevention Month and Recovery Happens Month, we are hosting free events all throughout the month of September! For most up-to-date info on events, visit SMCHealth.org/SPM.
This year’s statewide theme is #SupportYourWay. Join us in validating the choice to reach out for help, understanding that support can look different for everyone, and reframing the act of asking for support as taking control—not losing it.
Today on 9/8 aka 988 Day and the start of Suicide Prevention week, we are uplifting the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Learn the difference between 911 and 988. This resource is always here for you. You can also call the San Mateo County Crisis Line at (650) 579-0350 24/7 for help during a mental health crisis and the San Mateo County Mobile Crisis Response Team can come to you in person.
Events happening this week:
💜 9/8 – STS and Alt2Su Suicide Awareness Panel | Heart & Soul Clinic, Burlingame
💜 9/9 – Voices of Recovery’s Brunch/ Philomena Walk of Hope | 400 County Center, Redwood City
💜 9/9 – Board of Supervisors Proclamation | 500 County Center, Redwood City
More info about events at SMCHealth.org/SPM.
Since its launch in Fall 2016, the Health Ambassador Program for Youth (HAP-Y) has been transforming the way young people in San Mateo County understand, talk about, and lead in the field of behavioral health. What began as a vision to empower youth with tools and knowledge to support themselves and their peers has grown into a powerful community of more than 300 trained ambassadors.
Over the course of 14 weeks of training, HAP-Y participants gain skills in psychoeducation, suicide prevention, healthy coping, healthy relationships, and storytelling. The program culminates in the Photovoice workshop, a unique opportunity for youth to share their lived experiences through photography and narrative. Year after year, participants describe this workshop as their favorite.
“Photovoice is magical… It’s really incredible how emotions can be so clearly conveyed through a few words from a nervous youth.” – HAP-Y Participant
HAP-Y has not only been an educational program—it has been a career pathway and inspiration. Many ambassadors have gone on to pursue studies and careers in behavioral health, with alumni now working as clinicians or working toward their licensure.
Like many community programs, HAP-Y faced a turning point during the pandemic. Originally designed for in-person meetings, the program quickly adapted to an all-virtual format to ensure that young people could continue to access support and training during a critical time. Today, HAP-Y thrives under a hybrid model: 12 weeks of virtual workshops followed by 2 weeks of in-person sessions, striking a balance between flexibility and the meaningful connections built face-to-face.
Read more
📣 September Suicide Prevention Month is officially upon us! Throughout the month, get involved in suicide prevention in your community by attending one of our many free events being hosted all throughout San Mateo County. Look forward to art shows, suicide prevention trainings, a glass etching art night, panels and more! Learn more about the events at SMCHealth.org/SPM.
Events happening this week:
💜 9/3 at 5:30PM – Creating Safety Through Expressions, Mouton Center in East Palo Alto
💜 9/5 at 5PM – Voices of Recovery Annual Candlelight Vigil
💜 9/8 at 1PM – STS and Alt2Su Suicide Awareness Panel, Heart & Soul Clinic in Burlingame
Please see the latest issue of the Director’s Newsletter from BHRS Director, Dr. Jei Africa!
Topics include:
📅 We are just 3 weeks away from September Suicide Prevention Month (in addition to Recovery Happens Month)!
San Mateo County is joining statewide and nationwide efforts for the following Suicide Prevention Month (SPM) observances. SPM is one of the best times of the year where we can honor those affected by suicide and inspire action to prevent suicide.
For 2025, San Mateo County and partners are promoting the statewide theme: “Support, Your Way.”
What if suicide prevention could feel human, honest, and self-assured, all while being inclusive of the different ways people can find support. Rather than centering fear, crisis, or clinical language, this theme is about agency, particularly at vulnerable moments when people feel like they have none. It reflects a cultural truth that people want help on their own terms, and flips the understanding of asking for help not as a loss of control—but as a regaining of it.
It’s not about prescribing what help should look like. It’s about validating the choice to reach out for help, understanding that support can look different for everyone, and reframing the act of asking for support as taking control.
For more info on attending free events, getting involved, or finding support, visit SMCHealth.org/SPM.
*Lastly, to apply for one of our ten $300 mini-grants to fund an event, view application here.*
Thank you for helping prevent suicide and promote wellness in our community!
Taylor Coutts and Sylvia Tang
Suicide Prevention Committee Co-Chairs
Walter Ng and Grace Higgs
Suicide Prevention Month Planning Committee Co-Chairs
Are you passionate about peer support and mental health advocacy? Cal Voices invites you to join their upcoming Behavioral Health Transformation Workshops—a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and contribute to the future of behavioral health in California.
These workshops are designed for:
Why attend?
🧠 Understand how California’s behavioral health transformation impacts peer support
💬 Share your experiences and insights
🤝 Collaborate with others shaping the future of care
🧠 You may qualify for a waiver of the registration fee
💬 You may qualify for a $100 travel stipend – the closest workshop is in Oakland on 10/1/2025
🤝 6 Ethics and Boundaries CE’s are available and approved towards peer support re-certification
📅 Reserve your spot today! See the flyer attached for instructions and registration links.
Let’s make sure peer voices are front and center in this transformation!
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