Home: Highlights
That’s a Wrap: Lessons from the Community Collaborative for Children’s Success Planning Process
Over the last year and a half, four communities in San Mateo County have been hard at work looking for solutions to overcome barriers to youth success. Despite busy schedules and competing priorities, over 1,000 community members showed their investment in young people’s futures by taking surveys, attending night meetings, knocking on doors, talking to neighbors and digging deep with their communities to come together around top priorities.
Phase I: Moving into Plan Implementation
South San Francisco and North Fair Oaks are off and running with implementation! Both communities held small implementation group meetings and are discussing opportunities to move forward with plan implementation. South San Francisco has unique interest in training for police officers and providing additional activities for children and young people. In North Fair Oaks, stakeholders have momentum for investing in mental health connections and preventative mental health measures.
SMC Youth Commission Closes a Successful Year!
The end of May marks the end of another SMC Youth Commission cohort. Key achievements of this cohort includes the adoption of a Indigenous People’s Resolution, the recommendation of Social Host Ordinance and the public support for sustainable policies that will help the county cope with climate change.
Balancing Stable and Safe Housing
People who live in healthy, affordable places live longer, healthier lives. One way low-income communities have been coping with the affordability crisis is by subdividing their single-family homes and converting their garages into second units to accommodate friends, relatives or renters. Second units have been a part of low-income communities before they became a trendy strategy to augment the much-needed supply of housing.
Engaging for Community Health
In Health Policy and Planning, one of our goals is to support policies that ensure all residents can choose an active or public transportation choice when desired. Right now is also a good time to have your voice heard in various bike and pedestrian plan updates throughout the County. There are currently at least four bike and pedestrian plan updates underway in the County, in various stages of input and planning, that include: Daly City, the City of San Mateo, San Mateo County, and South San Francisco, and one Transportation Master Plan in Menlo Park. These plans are tools and
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Is Leading With Equity!
The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) has developed a framework and a set of goals to advance its commitment to equity and social justice. By identifying values such as equity, access, community power, sustainability and empathy, SVBC staff will work to realize its vision for a community that values, includes and encourages bicycling for all people.
Ready to Serve on the SMC Youth Commission?
The SMC Youth Commission (SMCYC) is recruiting youth between the ages of 13 to 20 who reside in San Mateo County to serve on the commission for the 2019-2020 term. The SMCYC advises the Board of Supervisors and other county departments on the needs and concerns of the county’s youth with the goal of informing policies that can improve the well-being of and the conditions for all youth to thrive in San Mateo County. Share the opportunity with any youth leaders you know! Applications are due May 24, 2019.
SMC Youth Commission Adopts Indigenous People’s Day Resolution
With the intent to acknowledge the contributions of and the historical injustices suffered by Native American communities, the SMC Youth Commission adopted a resolution and a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors to recognize the second Monday of October as Indigenous People’s Day instead of Columbus Day, which is the current name of the Federal holiday.
Party But Do it Safely: Board of Supervisors Takes Action to Discourage Underage Drinking
The SMC Youth Commission got a win this month with the Board of Supervisors approving one of their suggested policies, known as the Social Host Ordinance, to discourage the consumption of alcohol and other drugs by minors. Originally proposed by SMC Youth Commission in partnership with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services in 2018, the ordinance fines hosts of parties that make alcohol and other drugs available to minors.
More Capacity, More Opportunities to Advance An Equitable, Local Food System
Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) was recently selected to help lead the San Mateo Food System Alliance (SMFSA). The Alliance is a collaboration of community leaders working to improve all aspects of the local food system including local farms, workers, consumers and the environment.
Increasing School Breakfast Participation to Address Food Insecurity
Greetings Get Healthy SMC Partners,
Reflecting on 2018, Looking Toward 2019
The close of the year is always an introspective time for me. I think back at what the year has brought and think ahead to what I hope the upcoming year will bring – personally and professionally. 2018 has been an intense year for our Get Healthy San Mateo County collaborative. More people and organizations are now engaged in advancing healthy communities through transportation and mobility options, increased attention to housing stability, sustainable food systems, and social-emotional environments in schools.
Apply to the SMC Youth Commission RFP by January 24!
The deadline to apply for the SMC Youth Commission Request for Proposals is rapidly approaching—January 24 before 5PM PST. The SMC Youth Commission increases awareness of and advocates for youth issues, advises the Board of Supervisors, presents policy recommendations, and creates projects that serve the community. SMC Health is seeking a provider committed to the youth development and well-being of all youth in San Mateo County to manage the SMC Youth Commission for the next three years.
Interested in Mentoring Children and Promoting Healthy Habits?
If you are in high school and are interested in mentoring younger kids to promote physical activities and healthy food, you can apply to the Healthy Living Ambassadors Program. If you have a child in high school, are an educator or are connected to students in any way, please share this opportunity with them!
RFP for SMC Youth Commission
Get Healthy SMC is pleased to announce the release of the Request for Proposals for the San Mateo County Youth Commission. San Mateo County Health is seeking proposals for a provider with experience in youth development and a commitment to supporting the well-being of all youth in San Mateo County. The contractor will manage, champion, sustain, provide oversight and raise the profile of the San Mateo County Youth Commission.
Student Grants for EMT Training
The Emergency Medical Services Corps program of Alameda County is now seeking San Mateo County applicants for its next cohort. The San Mateo County Health is partnering with this nationally-renowned program to train local entry-level emergency medical technicians, remove economic barriers for residents most impacted by health inequities, and increase the diversity of the local medical responder and health workforce. Applications must be submitted by December 31, 2018.
Youth Speak! Amplifying Voices from the Community Collaboration for Children’s Success
“Family therapy brought me closer to my dad,” says an incarcerated youth at San Mateo County’s Youth Services Center. “I was never as close to my dad as I am now.” We’re discussing what would have made a difference for him—the supports and barriers along his path, which for most of the last two years has taken him in and out of this detention facility. Access to family therapy and a supportive parole officer has been stabilizing since he has been incarcerated, and he pauses to consider the earlier supports that could have made a difference.
Office of Traffic Safety Awarded Us a Grant for Safer Streets!
The Health Policy and Planning program and the County Office of Education have recently been awarded $100,000 Office of Traffic Safety grant for the 2018-2019 school year!