Mental Health Association of San Mateo County and Cedar Street Apartments, Inc.
invite you to purchase an engraved tile to support the residents of
Cedar Street Apartments and other MHA clients through your contribution.
Cedar Street Apartments offers fourteen studio apartments to adults living with mental illness (and one unit for the on-site manager). The federal subsidy provided through the HUD 811 program makes the units permanently affordable for people with mental illness whose incomes are well below the poverty line. On-site supportive services focus on educational and vocational opportunities and activities.
The Sequoia Healthcare District awarded the Mental Health Association of San Mateo County $50,000 to support the wellness program at the Belmont Apartments and at Spring Street. This generous donation supports the expansion of the activities of MHA’s public health nurse, who leads wellness activities, provides direct care, and advocates for our clients with healthcare providers.
Physical health is essential to mental health. Individuals with serious mental illness die on average 25 years earlier than the general population. The stress of coping with poor physical health exacerbates mental health problems. In response, MHA has supported for six years a public health nurse to work closely with the residents of St. Matthew Hotel, Belmont Apartments, and Spring Street.
In addition to all the activities of the public health nurse, this last year, supported by the Sequoia Healthcare District, the nonprofit Miles of Smiles began offering dental examinations and cleanings. This upcoming year the dental exams will continue, complemented by health fairs that offer cholesterol checks, body mass index, and chair massages.
MHA is deeply grateful to the Sequoia Healthcare District for their generous support. MHA is pleased to support the goals of Sequoia’s five major health areas: health literacy, healthy food, preventive health, behavioral health, and chronic disease management.
Mills-Peninsula Health Services granted MHA $10,000 to continue its wellness program at the St. Matthew Hotel in downtown San Mateo. MHA has been providing case management services at St. Matthew since 1997. Since 2006 MHA has supported a public health nurse to improve all aspects of the residents' physical and mental health. The public health nurse:
- instructs residents how to follow their healthcare regimens, including use of medications. The nurse also educates residents about hygiene, diet, and exercise.
- organizes health fairs to connect residents to health resources.
- evaluates acute medical conditions, then makes referrals or provides treatment, keeping residents from unnecessary trips to the emergency room.
- provides medical case management for residents when they see their doctor or go to the hospital to make sure they get the best care possible.
We thank Mills-Peninsula Health Services for supporting MHA's work to improve the physical and mental health of the residents of St. Matthew Hotel.
MHA received a Cy Pres award in In re Apple iPod Nano Cases. As a result of the settlement of the Apple iPod Nano case, MHA has received funds totaling over $100,000. We wish to thank the Law Offices of Pearson, Simon, Warshaw & Penny, LLP and Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, LLP for recommending us for the award. The funds will support technology upgrades, public health nursing expansion, supportive housing service staff, and expanded occupational therapy.
- Technology upgrade — We will upgrade our IT system to meet current needs and establish sufficient capacity for the foreseeable future.
- Public Health Nursing program expansion — A nurse now provides assessment, evaluation, medical case management, and minor treatment at St. Matthew Residential Hotel in San Mateo and at the Belmont Apartments. This settlement will allow us to expand the services to the Spring Street Shelter.
- Occupational Therapy — We will expand our occupational therapy services to provide more of our clients individualized evaluation and customized intervention to improve their ability to perform daily activities and reach their goals.
 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.
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