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San Mateo County Health

Helping everyone in San Mateo County live longer & better lives.
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Behavioral Health Services & Resources

General information

If you or a loved one is struggling from a mental health problem, you are not alone.
We’re here to help.

Call our Access Call Center 24/7 for assistance

Toll Free: (800) 686-0101

TTY for the hearing impaired - please call 711

STEP 1: To get help for yourself or a loved one, start by calling Behavioral Health and Recovery Services’ Access Call Center.

STEP 2: A trained professional will ask you questions to help find the right care for you.

STEP 3: You will receive a referral to an appropriate mental health and/or substance use treatment provider.

We serve San Mateo County residents with Medi-Cal and individuals who are uninsured with clinics located in:

  • Daly City
  • San Mateo 
  • Half Moon Bay
  • Redwood City
  • East Palo Alto

Learn more about how to request services, [Spanish], [Chinese], [Tagalog], [Russian]

Interpreter Services

Access Call Center staff speak English, Spanish, and Chinese. For other languages, they will assist you through a free telephone interpreter service

For more information about BHRS, see our  brochure. [Spanish], [Chinese],[Tagalog], [Russian]

For COVID-19 behavioral health resources, click here. 

Learn about the  BHRS COVID-19 service modifications here.

Is My Insurance Accepted?

BHRS serves Health Plan of San Mateo members with the following plans: Medi-Cal, CareAdvantange, County ACE, HealthWorx and residents who do not have any insurance. 

Privately insured? Contact your carrier to learn about coverage options and mental health services available to you through your health insurance plan.

You Are Not Alone – 24/7 Support is Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing challenges with anxiety, panic, depression, alcohol and drug use or other emotional distress, you are not alone.  Below are some resources that provide free, confidential and immediate emotional support by phone, text or chat to anyone in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis -  24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call or text 9-1-1 or see crisis services. 

Crisis/Suicide Hotline & Text

StarVista Crisis Center (San Mateo County) - sanmateocrisis.org

National ​988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – call/text 988 or call 1 (800) 273-8255 

  • 1 (888) 628-9454 Spanish speakers
  • 1 (800) 273-8255 Veterans Crisis Line or chat online
  • 1 (800) 985-5990 Disaster Distress Helpline or Text TALKSWITHUS to 66746
  • Chat online

Crisis Text Line - Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support. Text BAY to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor. Learn how it works. 

Youth Stabilization, Opportunity, & Support (S.O.S.) Team 

StarVista’s Crisis Center now offers a Specialized Mobile Crisis Response Service for youth ages 0-25. The Youth Stabilization, Opportunity, and Support (S.O.S.) team respond to children and youth that are experiencing an escalation of mental and behavioral health symptoms (such as suicidal ideation/intent, self-injurious behaviors, undiagnosed mental health disorders, etc).  Call the StarVista Crisis Hotline at 650-579-0350.  Learn more on StarVista’s Youth S.O.S. Team or download their flier.
 
For questions about our Youth S.O.S program, contact StarVista’s Crisis Center at svcrisiscenter@star-vista.org or visit www.sanmateocrisis.org. 

California Family Urgent Response Program (FURS) – for current/former foster youth and caregivers

StarVista’s S.O.S. Team also provides support for current/former foster youth and caregivers in need of trauma support. They can call or text StarVista’s free 24/7/365 Hotline at 833-939-3877 and be connected to a trained counselor or peer.  For more support, a team can go directly to them to help stabilize the situation and keep them safe.  Learn more about FURS at www.cal-furs.org.  

Serenity House Crisis Residential Treatment (CRT) – for adults 18+

Serenity House is a 13-bed CRT program serving adults age 18+ with a diagnosis of mental illness, including those with co-occurring substance use disorders. They provide care 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. The CRT will help people find relief from distress, maintain stability, and emphasize choice-making skills and harm-reduction techniques. Prior to arriving at the program, all referrals should call 650-539-0340 to access services. Learn more.

BHRS Office of Consumer and Family Affairs provides information, education and support for consumers/clients and family members dealing with mental health and/or substance use challenges.

BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity advances health equity in behavioral health outcomes of marginalized communities throughout San Mateo County through community empowerment, workforce transformation, strategic partnerships, and policy and systems change. 

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) San Mateo County 
Support for family members who have a loved one with a mental illness

  • Warm Line:  650-638-0802
  • Office Line:  650-638-0800

California Peer-Run Warm Line - a 24/7 non-emergency resource for anyone in California seeking emotional support. Call 1 (855) 845-7415 or chat online. 

Heart & Soul Peer-Run Warm Line - (650) 231-2024

Voices of Recovery offers peer-to-peer substance use recovery guidance and supports personal, family and community recovery.

Domestic Violence Hotline – 1 (800) 799-7233 (SAFE) or chat at www.thehotline.org

CORA (Communities Overcoming Relationship Abuse) – 1 (800) 300-1080 | www.corasupport.org

For the COVID-19 mental health resource page, click here. 

Related Content

General information

Assisted Outpatient Treatment in San Mateo County
Together Towards Recovery

Developed out of the County’s adoption of Laura’s Law (Assembly Bill 1421) in the summer of 2015, the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) is a program that reaches out to people with a severe mental illness who are not connected to services and are challenged to live safely and stably in our community.  Our AOT team engages people in receiving treatment to help improve their quality of life.

General information

Family Assertive Support Team (FAST)

Are you concerned about a family member who may be showing signs or symptoms of serious behavioral health challenges?

Call FAST at: (650) 368-3178 or (650) 363-8125 (Cassia House)
Spanish and Mandarin speaking capacity available.  Other languages available upon request.

Contact

TeenLine

Have a problem and want to talk to another teen?  The TeenLine is operated by teens for teens. Connect by phone, text, email or message board.

Contact

Youth Website and Support Line
Reachout.com

Provides Q&A, hotlines, referrals and chat room staffed by trained youth to provide a safe, anonymous, non-judgmental place for other youth to discuss depression, suicide, family, pressure, school, friends, cutting, identity or anything. Get support online, via text, or by phone.

Overview

Mental Health Services for Teens

Are you or someone you care about having unusual thoughts or difficulty concentrating, or hearing things that others don’t? These types of symptoms are more common than you may think – they affect 1 in 5 teens. If the symptoms have been persisting for an extended period of time or are increasing in severity, they may be among the first warning signs of early psychosis. That’s why it’s important to seek help as early as possible.