Mental Health Services – San Mateo Pride Center

At this time, we have a waitlist for therapy services. Feel free to fill out our Clinical Services Request Form. Once we have availability to onboard new clients, a therapist will reach out to you to see if you are still looking for therapy services. Please note: it might be several weeks before we have availability to see new clients.

The San Mateo County Pride Center provides high quality, LGBTQ+ affirming mental health services to community members living throughout San Mateo County. Mental wellbeing services include individual therapy, relationship therapy, family therapy, group therapy, and case management. Our work is strength-based, trauma-informed, engaging both natural supports and the whole family whenever possible.

Fees for therapy services:
The Pride Center accepts Medi-Cal through Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM) and self-pay. Therapy service fees per session are $140.00 for individuals and $160.00 for couples/multiples/families/groups. Sliding scale is available with proof of income (e.g., paystub, bank statement, income tax return).

Payment options:
We accept credit cards, debit cards with a credit card logo, and checks.

FILL IN OUR CLINICAL SERVICES REQUEST FORM HERE

If you have Medi-Cal, please call the ACCESS line *after* you speak to someone at the Pride Center to request therapy services from us: (800) 686-0101, TDD: (800) 943-2833

CONTACT
Referrals and / or service inquiries should be directed to:

Pride Center Clinical Team
clinical@sanmateopride.org
Phone: 650-591-0133
Fax: 650-412-1986 (ATTN: Pride Center Clinical Team)

Mental Health Clinician & Intake Coordinator
Verna Barrientos (she/her)
verna.barrientos@sanmateopride.org
Cell: 650-644-1632 (Text OK)
Fax: 650-412-1986 (ATTN: Verna Barrientos)

History

For decades, San Mateo County residents seeking accessible, community-based LGBTQ+ mental health services have had to travel north to San Francisco, south to San Jose, or even across the bridge to Oakland or Berkeley. Those who could not travel simply could not access such services. Situated in the heart of the San Mateo County, the Pride Center embraces this historically isolated region by not only providing high quality mental health services to LGBTQ+ community members, but also by delivering these services right here at home.

Mental Health Services include:

Care coordination
Collaborative treatment planning
Individual counseling
Group therapy
Relationship therapy
Family therapy
Community based services
Case Management

Our current clinical staff possess expertise in:

Depression
Anxiety
PTSD and trauma
Domestic violence (both perpetrators and survivors)
Self-harm and suicidal ideation
Work with siblings and blended families
Couple and relationship counseling
Gender identity
Polyamory and nonmonogamy
Anger management
BDSM/kink
Working with survivors of violent crime
LGBTQ+ adults, families, and youth

In addition to direct clinical care, our clinical team provides extensive consultation and training for:

Other mental health and medical providers
Teachers
Parents
Administrators and school support staff

Therapeutic Modalities

Our Multi-Modal lens includes Evidence-Based and Strength-Based practices as well as Cross Cultural Therapy Modalities and Expressive Arts Therapy. Our work is trauma-informed and engages natural supports, including the whole family, whenever possible.

Who is eligible?

We are committed to providing mental health services to the LGBTQ+ community throughout San Mateo County. We accept private pay on a sliding scale (depending on monthly income) as well as those who are or can qualify as a Medi-Cal beneficiary.

Services will be prioritized to:

Low income
Marginalized and underserved communities
Emotional and behavioral disturbances over a prolonged period of time with identifiable symptoms such as depression, mood swings, hyperactivity, marked anxiety, difficulty concentrating or sitting still, extensive trauma history, etc.
Relationship problems
Poor social skills
Troubled or destructive peer or family relationships
Isolation and/or social anxiety
Marked mental health symptoms causing difficulty and distress in relationships at home, school, work and/or community.
High risk for increasing level of severity of presenting issues without mental health intervention
Expressed need by participant or family for mental health services to meet social-emotional, behavioral, and/or educational goals
Self-endangering behavior
History of suicide attempts or ideation
Victim or witness of violent crimes (bullying, gun violence, domestic violence, etc.)
Difficulty managing anger and/or history of domestic violence perpetration

Next Steps, How can I get mental health services for myself or someone I know?

If you have Medi-Cal, please call the ACCESS line and let them know you’d like therapy services at the San Mateo County Pride Center: (800) 686-0101, TDD: (800) 943-2833

If not, there are several options:

Fill in our online CLINICAL SERVICES REQUEST FORM
Email our San Mateo County Pride Center’s Clinical Team at clinical@sanmateopride.org to set up a screening appointment with our team.
Call our confidential Clinical Info Line at 650-591-0133, where you can leave a voicemail with your service request.
Contact our Mental Health Clinician & Intake Coordinator, Verna Barrientos, (she/her): email verna.barrientos@sanmateopride.org or call (650) 644-1632 (text is OK)
Fax a requests or referral form to 650-412-1986 (ATTN: Verna Barrientos / Pride Center Clinical Team)

If you have any other questions related to mental health services at the Pride Center, please contact our Mental Health Clinician & Intake Coordinator:

Verna Barrientos, LCSW (she/they)
verna.barrientos@sanmateopride.org
Cell: 650-644-1632 (Text is OK)
Fax: 650-412-1986 (ATTN: Verna Barrientos)