Redwood City – If you think these are stressful times, you are not alone: San Mateo County residents describe a rising number of poor mental health days and continued issues in accessing health care services, along with struggles to afford housing, in a newly released blueprint on ways to improve community health.
The product of a seven-month assessment and planning process, the 2024-26 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) for San Mateo County compiles survey results with input from health care professionals, community-based organizations and individuals. It then takes that information to outline priority areas for focus and funding to improve community health and advance health equity. The priority areas for the 2024-2026 CHIP include:
- Access to Health Care Services
- Mental Health
- Social Determinants of Health
“It takes a collective effort to create and maintain a healthy and safe San Mateo County, requiring continued commitment to serve and support each other,” wrote Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana, San Mateo County health officer, in the plan’s introduction.
Survey results (conducted online, in person and over the phone) offer a snapshot into the health and mental health of 3,053 San Mateo County residents. Key findings include:
- Homelessness increased by three times, from 1.4 percent in 2013 to 3.6 percent in 2022.
- Respondents reported an average of 4.1 “poor mental health days” experienced in the past month in 2022, up from 2.1 days in 2013.
- 1 in 5 San Mateo County adults experienced difficulty getting to a physician in the past year.
In a county where 1 in 5 adults lives below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, the plan cites an overarching goal to “improve coordination among organizations providing essential services across sectors to all individuals and communities,” especially those currently experiencing disparities. Strategies to achieve the goal include advocating for policies that improve social determinants of health and improving the coordination of essential services from County and community partners.
A key objective is to increase screenings for social determinants of health by 50 percent at client visits among all medical and social service providers. Clients would be asked about their housing situation, experiences of racism or discrimination, whether they have access to nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity, among other topics. The data will inform the strategies for achieving the goal.
“The survey offers an insight into the health and wellness needs of our community,” said Tamarra Jones, director of County Health’s division of Public Health, Policy and Planning. “Now we will use that information both to work internally and with our partners on strategies to address these needs.”
Preston Merchant
Communications Officer
San Mateo County Health
650-867-1661
press@smchealth.org