Tag Archives: Mental Health

Take a Be Sensitive, Be Brave Training this Suicide Prevention Month #ShareHopeTogether

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Hello, everyone!

Have you heard of the Be Sensitive, Be Brave Training?  

“Be Sensitive, Be Brave ” is a 2-hour foundational workshop that infuses culture and diversity throughout the mental health or suicide prevention trainings.. This workshop teaches community members to identify warning signs and  and to connect individuals to help. 

We are partnering with the San Mateo County Libraries to offer free trainings throughout this month. Visit SMCHealth.org/BSBB-Schedule to find out when is the next one! 

Events happening this week:  

💜 Sun, 9/10 – Compassion & Honesty: Working With Depressed/Suicidal Older Adults While Managing Your Own Feelings – Virtual 

💜 Mon, 9/11 – Be Sensitive, Be Brave Training in Woodside 

💜 Tues, 9/12 – Walk of Hope Recovery Breakfast at County Center, Redwood City 

💜 Wed, 9/13 – Be Sensitive, Be Brave Training in East Palo Alto 

💜 Fri, 9/15 – Let’s Share Hope Together: Screening “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” at San Mateo Main Library, San Mateo 

Attend events, get involved and find support at SMCHealth.org/SPM. 

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, contact our 24/7 CRISIS hotlines:                
Call 650-579-0350 or 988                
Text “Bay” to 741-741 or 988                
Visit SanMateoCrisis.org  

In community,  

Sylvia Tang & Kristie Lui

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10/10 – National Day of Prayer: Serenity for Behavioral Health & Understanding

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Join us for National Day of Prayer: Serenity for Behavioral Health & Understanding on Tuesday, 10/10 from 12pm to 2pm at 400 County Center, Redwood City!

We are ALL touched by mental illness. Only with the guidance, prayers and actions from our faith and behavioral health networks working together, will our communities reach better mental health and well-being.

At the Day of Prayer for Behavioral Health and Understanding, faith and secular leaders will join hundreds of events around the country to publicly recommit ourselves to replace misinformation, blame, fear and prejudice with truth, inclusion and love in order to offer hope and support to those most in need.

Community members, consumers, family members, faith community and behavioral health providers all welcome!

The National Day of Prayer has been observed in San Mateo County since 2016.

This event will be in-person with livestreaming. To register for the livestreaming, click here.

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Why say “BIPOC” Instead of “Minority?

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Happy BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color ) Mental Health Awareness Month! The way we talk about things can often influence the way we think about them. In the field of mental health, we often talk about using  “person first” language. This is language that prioritizes the identity of individuals as human beings first over their mental health status (e.g. saying “person with schizophrenia” instead of “schizophrenic”). This concept should be used as well in the way we refer to communities. The use of “minority” labels BIPOC communities in terms of their quantity instead of their quality. The term “minority” also emphasizes the power differential between “majority” and “minority” groups and can imply “minority” is synonymous with inferiority.

Though “minority” may continue to be used in academic spaces, the words the mental health community uses should be mindful of how these terms create and perpetuate negative images and stereotypes of those that identify as BIPOC. By including “BI” Black and Indigenous in addition to “POC” people of color, we are also honoring the intersectional experiences of Black and Indigenous individuals and their communities, as well as the spectrum of existence and experience by POC.  

Learn more about  BIPOC Mental Health and San Mateo County BHRS’ Health Equity Initiatives.

Learn more about BHRS’ Office of Diversity and Equity here.    

Joint Health Equity Initiative Collaborative Meeting in Celebration of Juneteenth

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It gives us great pleasure to announce a wonderful collaboration!

The African American Community Initiative (AACI) and the Spirituality Initiative (SI) will hold a collaborative monthly meeting, in the community of East Palo Alto (in-person & via Zoom) on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 from 10:30am to 2pm.

The in-person location is at Ravenswood Family Health Network in the Juanita Duncan Conference Room (1842 Bay Road, E Palo Alto).

Lunch and refreshments will be served!

Please see the above flyer for more information and how to reserve your seat if you plan to attend in-person (seating is limited).

You will need to log in separately for each meeting if you plan to participate via Zoom. For Zoom Info, email Lee Harrison at leharrison@smcgov.org.

Both meetings will have brief presentations:

  • Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE)
  • African American Community Initiative (AAC) – Adult Protective Services Presentation (Cassie Villar) and AACI Introduction and Overview
  • Spirituality Initiative (SI) – Bishop, Dr. Cleveland Prince, Senior Pastor of True Light Missionary Baptist Church in East Palo Alto.  A discussion about “Spirituality in the African American Experience, Overcoming Struggles, Faith and Fatherhood.”

Please plan to join us, and please share this information widely in your networks!

Also join AACI and Voices of Recovery for their Juneteenth celebration on Friday, 6/16/23. More info here.

Extraordinary Everyday Heroes Look Like Me, and You

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The May 23, 2023’s Board of Supervisors meeting was full of Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) representation, including multiple appearances by our Health Equity Initiatives (HEI’s) across the agenda to spotlight Proclamations for:

As a new Senior Community Program Specialist in the County, there were breath-taking moments that gave me hope in our democracy by seeing everyday heroes in action—and they look like me, and you!

Beginning with an act of solidarity, Supervisor Ray Mueller addressed a public comment that conflated COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” by holding accountability immediately and centering all of our humanity, including the community member who said it. As the meeting went on, HEI Chinese Health Initiative co-chair Alyson Suzuki, offered a concise, authentic message leveraging her perspective as an Asian American parent. Simply put, she said “words matter,” to further demonstrate the impact of the racist remark. It was a chilling moment.

Notably, another HEI Pride Initiative co-chair Dana Johnson (they/them), shared two public comments as someone who lives an intersectional life as a Black transgender non-binary activist. They called specifically for the Board to consider actions that would move beyond Proclamations.

Co-presenting with the BHRS Director Dr. Jei Africa, my teammate and Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator and Pacific Islander Initiative member Twila Dependahl stood in her power as she spoke of the hard work that HEI’s are doing in our communities. The preparation for this presentation took immense collaborative efforts with Community Health Planner Sylvia Tang generously sharing her wisdom, leadership, and support that was behind the scene yet still so critical.

On the other side of the room, there were beautiful exchanges of support and encouragement. For example, with genuine care and joy, Supervisor David Canepa elevated another HEI Filipino Mental Health Initiative co-chair Stephanie Balon, who embodies kapwa (Tagalog for “togetherness/shared self”). Throughout the meeting, Supervisor Noelia Corzo offered gratitude to community members for sharing their stories.

Shortly afterwards, I talked with another HEI African American Community Initiative co-chair, Delicia “Dee” Pennix who attended the meeting in person for the Juneteenth Proclamation and we shared mutual feelings of excitement for our work, for the connections we are making, and for what’s ahead in our communities.

We are all extraordinary, everyday heroes.

You can learn how you can get involved with our Health Equity Initiative Co-Chairs by visiting http://smchealth.org/hei.

Written by Kayla Tolentino (she/her), BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity

Understand Intersectionality and Mental Health | #Share4MH

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💭 Did you know? Communities of color with mental health conditions are less likely to receive mental health services than their white counterparts. Swipe through for some fast facts. 

When discussing mental health, we need to inform from an equity lens so that all our communities can thrive. Keep the conversation going, and share one of your cultural wellness practices.  

To access the graphics in English and Spanish visit our social media page here.

Visit SMCHealth.org/ODE to learn more and SMCHealth.org/HEI to get involved.

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

5/4- MHSA Three-Year Plan Presentation – MHSA Steering Committee

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MHSA Steering Committee – MHSA Three-Year Plan

MHSA Steering Committee meetings are open to the public to provide input, make recommendations and stay up-to-date on all things MHSA.   The next meeting will be focused on presenting the MHSA 3-Year Plan recommendations. Meeting materials will be posted on the MHSA website at least 72 hours prior to the meeting, under the “Announcements” tab.

Thursday, May 4, 2023 (Hybrid Meeting)
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm 

  • Location (directions): College of San Mateo, 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd., College Center, Bldg 10, Rm 468 
  • Parking: Any visitor or student parking lot is free (do not park in staff lots). Lot G is closest or parking lots F, H, J, and K.
  • Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89224214146 
  • Dial in: +1 669 900 6833 / Meetingg ID: 892 2421 4146
MHSA-Steering-Cmttee-Flyer_050423_v3Download

To learn more about MHSA visit SMCHealth.org/MHSA.

Spanish Parent Project Class – Starting 4/19

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Hello everyone, 

Please help me to spread the word about the upcoming Parent Project virtual Spanish class beginning on Wednesday, April 19th. The class will be facilitated by Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center’s, Evelia Chairez. Please see the attached flyer. 

To register for this class, please contact Evelia Chairez via her email or phone – echairez@pcrcweb.org & (650)513-0330 ext. 

For any Parent Project related questions, please feel free to contact me by my email or phone – nkelleher@smcgov.org & (650)649-8411. 

For more information about Parent Project, please visit SMCHealth.org/Parentproject.

PP-Spanish-4/19Download

2023 Mental Health Month | #Share4MH

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Partners and community members,  

We are quickly approaching that lime green time of the year again! 💚 Every May is Mental Health Month and California’s theme this year is #Share4MH! To promote engagement across communities in California and San Mateo County, we are asking everyone to find opportunities to share throughout the month. Sharing for mental health can look like:  

  • Sharing how you practice self-care.  
  • Sharing how you practice mental wellness.  
  • Sharing how you get support for your mental health.  
  • Sharing how you overcame stigma.  
  • Sharing your journey towards wellness 
  • Sharing mental health resources 

Check out our attached flyer to spark some other ideas! Also use our virtual background at your next virtual meeting to spark conversation.  

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

Please share this email with your clients/consumers, colleagues, friends and community! 

2023-MHM-General-Flyer-Eng&SPDownload

Socios y miembros de la comunidad, 

¡Nos acercamos rápidamente a esa época verde lima del año! ¡Cada mayo es el Mes de la Salud Mental y el tema de California este año es #Share4MH! Para promover la participación en las comunidades de California y el condado de San Mateo, les pedimos a todos que encuentren oportunidades para compartir durante todo el mes. Compartir para la salud mental puede verse como: 

  • Compartir cómo practica el autocuidado. 
  • Compartir cómo practica el bienestar mental. 
  • Compartir cómo obtiene apoyo para su salud mental. 
  • Compartir cómo superó el estigma. 
  • Compartiendo su experiencia hacia el bienestar 
  • Compartir recursos de salud mental 

¡Vea nuestro folleto adjunto para generar otras ideas! También use nuestro fondo virtual en su próxima reunión virtual para iniciar la conversación. 

Para ver nuestra lista completa de eventos públicos y gratuitos, formas de participar y recursos de salud mental, visite SMCHealth.org/MHM. 

¡Comparta este correo electrónico con sus clientes/consumidores, colegas, amigos y comunidad! 

2023-MHM-General-Flyer-Eng&SP

Modernizing the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)  

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On March 19th, Governor Newsom unveiled a new plan to re-envision behavioral health system investments to address homelessness and focus services on individuals living with the most severe behavioral health conditions. Current available information on the Governor’s plan can be found here:  www.chhs.ca.gov/behavioral-health-reform.  One of the three priorities of this plan, is the “Modernizing of MHSA” and includes proposals to:  

1) Update the current MHSA funding allocation or components – the plan proposes to allocate MHSA funding to three new components: 30% to housing, 35% to Full Service Partnerships, and 35% to all other MHSA services (e.g., workforce strategies, prevention and early intervention, systems development efforts, etc.) with a focus on on-site services to students; workforce development, recruitment and retention; and the inclusion of substance use disorders as a target population – currently the MHSA targets co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. 

2) Add fiscal accountability measures – the plan focuses on the maximizing of Medi-Cal for reimbursable services and MHSA being the “last dollar spent” and on broader regional community planning processes. 

3) Restructure the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) – the MHSOAC is proposed to be moved under the California Health and Human Services Agency to support increased cross-sector collaboration and a focus on outcomes.  The MHSOAC was originally created to provide oversight of the MHSA.  The Governor’s plan is likely to go on the November 2024 ballot and will take time to implement. California counties and local stakeholders have an opportunity to influence the details of the reform.  BHRS will be working closely with the California Behavioral Health Director’s Association (CBHDA) to ensure local stakeholder priorities are voiced and include the original intent of the MHSA as it relates to prevention and early intervention, cultural responsiveness and equitable access, system transformations and other core MHSA priorities. 

Written by Doris Estremera (she/her), Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Manager

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