Police Activities League
San Mateo
Police Activities League
We embed mental health services into the San Mateo Police Activities League programming. We create an easy transition for recipients to receive mental health services, linkages to community services, and connection to psycho-education.
San Mateo PAL’s Family Support, Education & Mental Wellness program objectives are accordingly:
- Provide access to higher level mental health services incorporating Tier 1 & Tier 2 interventions, bilingual services in Spanish, multilingual, culturally sensitive assistance, care coordination and education services at no cost to approximately 660 PAL youth, ages 5-18, and their families, with a focus on the underserved
- Identify youth coping with stress, anxiety, depression, whether it be in the home, classroom or through social media, and take appropriate steps for general mental health treatment
- Integrate mental health care embedding therapists, strategies and activities within existing PAL programs and events
- Provide socio-emotional counseling and guidance, as well as ongoing monitoring and support, to at-risk youth already suffering from mental, emotional and behavioral challenges or to those who exhibit signs of emerging mental health challenges
- Increase school success and academic achievement thereby narrowing PAL youth achievement and discipline gaps
- Involve youth in social skills groups and/or outside activities and redirect energies toward positive alternatives
- Provide Parent/Family Education events, with the goal of parent empowerment, advocacy, involvement and increased family functioning, especially the practice of positive parenting and communication skills
- Improve healthy relationships between family members, promoting engagement and connection
- Enhance access to outside supports and/or online health resources, beyond current community health workers, for direct mental health services for children, parents and families
- Facilitate emotional, social and mental success for children, parents and families
- Create caring, safe climate that promotes mental health care for PAL youth and their families in need
- Assess and report outcomes of the Developmental Assets Profile (DAP) and/or the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) surveys, the modified adaptation of the California Healthy Kids survey, and the year-end satisfaction survey
