Tag Archives: San Mateo County

Looking for Volunteers for the 2026 SMC Pride Celebration!

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As the months get warmer, we get closer to San Mateo County’s annual PRIDE celebration! This year’s theme is Unite, Empower, Resist, PRIDE 2026, and the celebration will be held on Saturday, June 13th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at San Mateo Central Park.

San Mateo County provides this family-friendly event to uplift our goal of unity and inclusion and show the resilience of the queer community. If you would like to share your time please consider volunteering to support the event. 

Any questions can be directed to Kai Thornton at Kthornton1@smcgov.org.

2026 George Culores Hall of Fame Nominations Now Open

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The George Culores Hall of Fame award recognizes consumer/clients who have made contributions to better the lives of other consumer/clients; shown leadership in the consumer movement or have a personal journey of recovery that inspires and gives hope to others.  

Deadline to submit a nomination form is January 9, 2026. See nomination form below.

The award will be presented at the Behavioral Health Commission meeting on February, 4, 2026.

Learn more about the George Culores Hall of Fame Award here.

Half of Fame 2026 Nomination FormDownload

Board of Supervisors Special Meeting Tomorrow, 10/28

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The Board of Supervisors want to hear from you at a special meeting! What qualities do you want to see in the next Sheriff serving our community? How should the next Sheriff be selected?
Participate in-person or online. Find agenda and zoom information here when published at least 24 hours prior to meeting: https://sanmateocounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx💬 To share your input with the Board, please participate during the public comment period in person, via Zoom, or by emailing boardfeedback@smcgov.org.

La Junta de Supervisores quiere escuchar su opinión en una reunión especial.

  •  ¿Qué cualidades desea ver en el próximo Alguacil que prestará servicio a nuestra comunidad?
  • ¿Quién será nuestro próximo Alguacil?

Participe en persona o en línea. Encuentre la agenda y la información de Zoom aquí, cuando se publique al menos 24 horas antes de la reunión: https://sanmateocounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

💬 Para compartir su opinión con la Junta, participe durante el período de comentarios públicos en persona, a través de Zoom o enviando un correo electrónico a boardfeedback@smcgov.org

县监事会想在特别会议上听听您的意见！

·        我们下一任警长应该具备哪些特质？

·        下一任警长应该如何选出？可亲自或在线参与。会议议程及Zoom资料将于会议前至少24小时公布，请在此查阅:https://sanmateocounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

BHRS Transformation Journey Communications Survey

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Later this month, BHRS will launch a communications campaign to build awareness and excitement around the BHRS Transformation Journey, helping staff and external audiences to better understand the transformation and what it means in their roles. Prior to launching, we need your help in completing a survey to better understand current awareness of and feelings toward the Transformation and communications preferences across various audience groups. 

Understanding how staff and community members think, feel, and best engage with current messaging will allow BHRS to tailor the campaign to better meet their expectations, improve clarity, and drive meaningful engagement. ​Topics covered in the survey include:

  • Familiarity with the BHRS Transformation ​
  • Sentiment around BHRS Transformation ​
  • Effectiveness of key messages​
  • Preferred communications channels and messengers ​
  • Preferred tools and resources 

The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Click on this link BHRS Transformation Journey – Communications Survey to complete the survey. If you have any questions or challenges accessing the survey link, please contact Sofia Recalde at srecalde@smcgov.org.

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

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.  

4/15 – Psychiatric Emergency Services Panel Webinar

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Hello,

Join us on Tuesday, April 15th for the Psychiatric Emergency Services Panel webinar from 1:30PM-3:00PM.

Together with Mills-Peninsula Medical Center and San Mateo Medical Center, this webinar will highlight suicide prevention work being done through hospital Psychiatric Emergency Services and will highlight community partnership efforts for prevention advancement.

This event will be conducted in English. If you would like to request interpretation, please contact Sylvia Tang at stang@smcgov.org or 650-208-5799 (voicemail or text) by Tuesday, April 8th.

If you or someone you know is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, you can reach out for 24/7 free confidential crisis support: Call 650-579-0350 (San Mateo County Crisis Hotline) call/text or 988 (National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or visit sanmateocrisis.org.

Hola,

Únase a nosotros el martes 15 de abril para el seminario web del Panel de Servicios de Emergencia Psiquiátrica de 1:30 p.m. a 3:00 p.m.

Junto con Mills-Peninsula Medical Center y San Mateo Medical Center, este seminario web destacará el trabajo de prevención del suicidio que se realiza a través de los Servicios de Emergencia Psiquiátrica del hospital y destacará los esfuerzos de asociaciónes comunitarias para el avance de la prevención.

Este evento se realizará en inglés. Si desea solicitar interpretación, comuníquese con Sylvia Tang a stang@smcgov.org o al 650-208-5799 (mensaje de voz o mensaje de texto) antes del martes 8 de abril.

Si usted o alguien que conoce está en crisis suicida o angustia emocional, puede solicitar apoyo confidencial y gratuito las 24 horas, los 7 días de la semana: llame al 650-579-0350 (Línea Directa de Crisis del Condado de San Mateo), llame/envíe un mensaje de texto o al 988 (Línea Nacional de Vida para el Suicidio y las Crisis) o visite sanmateocrisis.org.

你好,

请于 4 月 15 日星期二下午 1:30 至 3:00 前来 參加我們的精神科緊急服務小組網路研討會。

此次網路研討會將與 Mills-Peninsula Medical Center 和 San Mateo Medical Center 一起重點介紹透過醫院精神科急診部門進行的自殺預防工作，並將重點放在社區合作夥伴關係在預防方面所做的努力。

本次活動將以英語進行。如果您需要口譯服務，請在 4 月 8 日星期二之前電郵 stang@smcgov.org 或 簡訊 650-208-5799 聯繫 Sylvia Tang。

如果您或您認識的人處於輕生危機或情緒困擾，您可以尋求 24/7 免費保密危機支援：致電 650-579-0350（聖馬刁縣危機熱線）電話/簡訊或 988（國家輕生和危機生命熱線）或造訪 sanmateocrisis.org。您可以要求口譯員。

3.17 Draft Psychiatric Emergency Services Panel Webinar 2025Download

2024 World Suicide Prevention Day: Change the Narrative

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Today, September 10, is World Suicide Prevention Day. This year’s theme is “Change the Narrative”— because it’s time to talk more openly and honestly about suicide and suicide prevention. That can start with lighting a candle. Put it near your window at 8 PM tonight to visibly show your support for preventing suicide in our communities. It’s also a way to honor loved ones we have lost, and loved ones who have survived. #WorldSuicidePreventionDay Learn more at SMCSuicideprevention.com

Events happening this week:
💜 9/10 at 4PM in Belmont in San Mateo | Communal Candle Decorating Workshop – Join us as we decorate candles to show support for suicide prevention and to remember a lost loved one.
💜 9/13 at 5:30PM in San Mateo | Open Book, Open Hearts Workshop – This workshop will provide insight on the importance of self-care for mental health, an overview of warning signs for suicide prevention, and share community resources.
💜 9/14 at 12PM in Foster City | One at a Time Workshop – The goal of the workshop is to educate about mental health and suicidality by shifting the focus to prevention strategies and outlining steps that can be taken prior to crisis.
💜 9/15 at 1PM in San Carlos | One at a Time Workshop – The goal of the workshop is to educate about mental health and suicidality by shifting the focus to prevention strategies and outlining steps that can be taken prior to crisis.

This Weekend! San Mateo County’s 12th Annual Pride Celebration

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Please join us for the San Mateo County Pride Parade and Celebration, “Love at Our Core, Pride in 2024!” this Saturday June 8 at San Mateo Central Park, 50 E 5th Ave, San Mateo. The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. at B Street and 2nd Avenue and end at Central Park where the Celebration will be from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Both events are open to all at no cost and are sober events. The Pride Celebration will have live entertainment, live DJ, resource and vendor booths, local food trucks, family and pet friendly activities and more.

Visit smcpridecelebration.com for more information.

ICYMI: Board of Supervisors Proclaim 2024 May Mental Health Month

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On Tuesday, 5/21/24, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors proclaimed 2024 May as Mental Health Month. The proclamation was accompanied by presentations from Dr. Jei Africa, Director of Behavioral Health & Recovery Services and Sylvia Tang, co-chair of the Mental Health Month Planning Committee. Lived experience speakers, Gina Olinger-Giani and Joanna (Jo) Padilla, also shared their personal stories for why mental health matters.

Padilla stated, “For me, self efficacy and self-advocacy are a form of my recovery. I am forever grateful and love the resources available, but we must continue to fund these programs and encourage the initiatives to support stipends for those that are willing to participate in their better mental health.”

Before Supervisor Canepa made his motion to declare May as Mental Health Month, he addressed San Mateo County’s loneliness crisis, “The days of saying mental health doesn’t exist, those days are over… In San Mateo County we have 45% of people who feel alone. This equates, according to our surgeon general, to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.”

In January 2024, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors declared loneliness as a public health emergency. Read more in the article here.

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