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Spirituality Initiative

Overview

Spirituality Initiative

Spirituality Initiative

Hosted by The Office of Diversity and Equity

Spirituality Initiative

The Spirituality Initiative works to build opportunities for clients/consumers, family members, providers and community members to collaboratively explore, increase awareness of, and support spirituality and its relationship to health and well-being, especially for those with or at risk of co-occurring alcohol/drug addiction and mental health challenges.

Are you looking for faith based organizations in San Mateo County that are inclusive of mental health? Visit bitly.com/SMCSpirituality for our list of welcoming resources. 

Vision and Values

The Health System fully embraces and integrates spirituality when working with individuals, families and communities to facilitate wellness and recovery.

  • Hope – We recognize that hope is the simplest yet most powerful tool in fostering healing
  • Inclusiveness – We recognize that spirituality is a personal journey and individuals should not be excluded based on their spiritual beliefs and practices
  • Cultural humility – We recognize that an attitude of respect and openness is necessary to create a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone

Faith Based Brochure  and Providers Brochure

Interfaith National Day of Prayer for Behavioral Health & Understanding

Join us on October 10th for National Day of Prayer: Serenity for Behavioral Health & Understanding from 12pm to 2pm at 400 County Center, Redwood City! More info here or on our flyer. 

Each year during the first week of October the nation celebrates the Interfaith National Day of Prayer for Behavioral Health and Understanding. This day is designated to bring together mental health and substance abuse networks and faith leaders to work together so that they may recognize the importance of behavioral health issues in our community.  Prayers and actions of both faith communities and secular organizations, such as the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), are needed to restore mental wellness in America. By seeking guidance with each of our faiths, we can recommit ourselves to replacing misinformation, blame, fear and prejudice with truth and love in order to offer hope to all who are touched by mental illness.

General information

Supporting Surveys and Data

Below are the survey responses that demonstrate how for an overwhelming majority of behavioral health clients spirituality is a tool for recovery and wellness. Two of the surveys were conducted by the California Mental Health and Spirituality Initiative and two by the San Mateo County BHRS Spirituality Initiative in 2009 and 2011 respectively.

General information

Spirituality Initiative Meetings

Spirituality Initiative meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month (no meeting in December) All clients, staff, family members and the community at large are welcome. For more information, contact: Isaac Frederick or Pam Ward.

Meeting Schedule

General information

Spirituality Assessments

Being able to assess the spiritual concerns and strengths of people seeking and receiving behavioral health services is extremely important for those providing the services. An assessment can open the conversation about values and beliefs, uncover strengths, coping mechanisms and support systems.

Below is information on assessment tools available to providers, and includes the Spirituality Postcard, created by the San Mateo County Spirituality Initiative.

General information

For Faith Leaders

Vaccine Resources 

Faith Leader Vaccine Tool - English | Spanish

Email to Faith Leaders - EnglishSpanish

Spirituality Vaccination LetterSpanish

Spirituality Vaccination Letter with SignaturesSpanish

COVID-19 Resources

Webinar: COVID-19 Pandemic & Vaccination: Dialogue with Faith Leaders – January 29, 2021

Webinar: Spiritual Support During a Surge in Cases - December 3, 2020

General information

Suicide Prevention Resources

Resources

Suicide prevention, intervention and response video series for clergy, pastors, ministers, rabbis and other faith community leaders

This series of five videos for clergy discusses Warning signs and risk factors; How to tell if a person is considering suicide; Responding to a suicidal person; Responding to family members after a suicide; and Designing a service for a person who has died by suicide. Visit website.