Silicon Valley Community Foundation awarded $20,000 to the Mental Health Association of San Mateo County for fiscal year 2010-11 to support the Spring Street Shelter, the only emergency shelter in San Mateo County specifically designed to serve homeless adults with mental illness. The grant will be used to provide case management services to homeless individuals with mental illness to help them transition into permanent housing more quickly and successfully.
Silicon Valley Community Foundation increased funding to their Safety Net grants in December 2008 when the economic situation began to have a significant impact on some of the most vulnerable individuals in society and the nonprofit organizations that serve them. This is the third Safety Net grant MHA has received from Silicon Valley Community Foundation since 2008 to support the Spring Street Shelter.
The funding from Silicon Valley Community Foundation has allowed MHA to provide increased case management services to residents, which has resulted in shorter stays and more positive, long-term outcomes for residents. In addition, previous funding enabled MHA to provide meals for individuals with mental illness in the community who were struggling to get by because of the decrease in benefits. This has made a significant difference in the lives of those we serve. We extend our thanks and appreciation to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and County of San Mateo for their unique and critical collaboration during these difficult economic times.
 CSL organizes two annual fundraisers, the Holiday Auction and Luncheon, and a Signature Kitchen Tour. This year, Hillsborough asked CSL to partner with them to run a Historic Homes Tour in honor of the town’s Centennial! Five historic homes that reflect the rich history of Hillsborough were opened for the public to tour, and the event was a tremendous success! CSL has been raising funds for MHA and YFES (Youth and Family Enrichment Services) for more than 30 years. During this time, CSL has donated over $1,300,000 to both agencies. The funds are unrestricted, and can be used to cover general operating expenses. MHA is grateful to CSL for its long-term support. The money raised by CSL helps some of the most vulnerable individuals in San Mateo County get and stay safely housed. Thank you, CSL!
Sequoia Healthcare District has awarded MHA a $20,000 grant to support the provision of nursing services at Belmont Apartments, a 24-unit apartment building for people with mental illness. The funding will be used to fund a registered nurse (RN) to work with residents to ensure their medical needs are met.
MHA recognized many years ago that individuals with mental illness often were unable to engage with the medical system in the same way as the general population and that they would, therefore, benefit from on-site support at home to meet their medical needs. As a result, MHA has had an RN on staff since 2005. The on-site RN has worked successfully for several years to establish a relationship with MHA’s clients, and to support their understanding of how to care for their medical needs. The RN has served as a liaison with doctors to ensure that the clients follow-up correctly with their medical regime. In addition, the RN provides proactive medical case management, identifying issues of concern and working with clients and their doctors to care for them. The RN helps residents learn how to take their medication properly, educates them about proper hygiene, diet and other health-related issues, and helps reduce the clients’ reliance on emergency services.
It has been well-documented that individuals with mental illness die many years younger than the general population. We hope that with the support of funding from Sequoia Healthcare District and others, we can help change this statistic.
MHA is grateful that Sequoia Healthcare District is continuing to help ensure that vital medical services are available to individuals with mental illness in their homes, where they can benefit from it most. MHA appreciates their commitment and continued support! The funding from Sequoia Healthcare District will improve the quality, and hopefully the length, of the lives of people in our community who have mental illness.
The Mental Health Association of San Mateo County provides much-needed services to individuals with mental illness and/or HIV/AIDS thanks to the support of Federal, County, City, foundation, and individual contributions. Read More.
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