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Local Funds Support Housing & Ending Homelessness
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors at its April 23 meeting, voted 5-0 to include additional Measure K funds in a plan that outlines how federal, state and local dollars will be invested in affordable housing and homelessness prevention. The Board agreed to allocate approximately $6.9 million in federal, state and local funding, including $567,768 in Measure K funds through the FY 2024-25 Annual Action Plan, which spells out how HUD Entitlement Awards and additional sources of revenue will support housing and community development solutions.
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Sheriff's Programs Help Incarcerated With Addiction
With a rise in the number of incarcerated persons with addiction and mental illness at County correctional facilities, the Sheriff’s Office and Correctional Health Services are providing more wrap around services that prioritize mental health and well being. New programming includes an expanded Behavioral Health Unit, a dedicated space to detox, nurses and mental health providers on site, a dispensing unit in correctional facility lobbies to provide Narcan & community resources & more. “I saw how addiction & mental illness were severely impacting the lives of those in our correctional facilities and knew we could work collaboratively to make a real impact and save lives,” said Sheriff Christina Corpus.
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Mental Health Month Raises Awareness on Loneliness
Mental Health Month kicks off this May with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) inviting residents to a series of free events and to learn about ways to cope with stress, anxiety, loneliness and more. The theme this years is Heal Through Connection #SMCAgainstLoneliness. In January, San Mateo County supervisors declared loneliness a public health crisis and pledged to promote social connection in local communities. According to County Health’s 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment, 45 percent of respondents reported experiencing difficulty with loneliness and isolation.
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Parks Prioritizes Forest Health, Reducing Wildfire Fuel
Wildfire fuel management work continues in San Mateo County Parks as part of the department's Forest Health & Community Safety Initiative, which strives to improve forest health primarily in parks that are near private dwellings. Currently, County Parks in coordination with Cal Fire and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District is utilizing air curtain burners in Quarry Park & Mirada Surf East to dispose of downed trees left from fire fuel reduction work and winter storms. Crews at Quarry Park will also continue selective understory thinning of small diameter trees and shrubs along fire roads. Park visitors should expect intermittent trail closures through May 31.
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County to Host Listening Sessions for Senate Bill 43
The County of San Mateo is soliciting input and collaboration for implementation of California Senate Bill 43, which makes significant changes to the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act — a law governing involuntary detention, treatment and conservatorship of people with behavioral health conditions. Hosted by County Health’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, the listening sessions seek input from key stakeholders to develop the best approach for implementing the law and identifying partners for a steering committee. SB 43 will not be implemented until Jan. 1, 2026.
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County Boards, Commissions Recruiting New Members
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors is accepting applications for appointment to multiple boards, commissions and committees, from the Assessment Appeals Board, Commission on Disabilities and Design Review Committee to the Independent Civilian Advisory Commission on the Sheriff's Office, Measure K Oversight Committee and more. Boards and commissions advise the Board of Supervisors and other governmental bodies in their decision-making process through direct citizen participation. Participation is largely voluntary; some posts but not all carry a $50 stipend.
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