StarVista then & now
Trailblazers of Change: Celebrating Women Pioneers in San Mateo County’s Crisis Intervention Services
1966
The San Mateo County Suicide & Prevention Center was founded in 1966 by Charlotte Ross, one of the pioneers of the suicide prevention movement. Now known as the StarVista Crisis Center, it provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention services.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of violence, self-harm, or suicide or overwhelming feelings, know that HELP IS AVAILABLE.
CALL StarVista’s 24/7 Crisis Hotline at (650) 579 – 0350 or CALL, TEXT, OR CHAT 988. Visit: sanmateocrisis.org
Charlotte played a significant role in the passing of the first suicide prevention legislation in the U.S.
Charlotte Ross, a pioneer in suicide prevention, founded the StarVista Crisis Hotline in 1966. It was California’s third Crisis Line, aimed at providing emergency assistance to people who were not in a medical crisis.
2024
StarVista continues to broaden its impact by expanding crisis intervention services through the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT), which collaborates with multiple police departments to deliver specialized mental health support across various communities.
StarVista’s Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) started off as a Pilot Program, in partnership with San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. Currently there are four police departments: San Mateo, Daly City, South San Francisco, and Redwood City.
As a result of the improved outcomes for mental health intervention in those communities, the CWCRT Program is expanding to Pacifica, North Fair Oaks, East Palo Alto, San Bruno and Menlo Park.
The CWCRT clinical team has specialized skills in crisis mental health. To date the team has over 55 years of clinical mental health experience.
Cathy Jimenez Maguire is currently the Program Manager for the StarVista Community Wellness Crisis Response Team (CWCRT). In 2021, she began with StarVista as a CWCRT Crisis Clinician for the Daly City Police Department. Cathy has extensive clinical experience in field crisis with law enforcement, trauma, mental health services, medical social work and child protective services work. Cathy was a field instructor for MSW students for clinical social work.
Learn more about the StarVista Community Wellness Crisis Response Team (CWCRT): https://star-vista.org/programs/community-wellness-and-crisis-response-team/
To view all of the StarVista programs, visit https://star-vista.org/programs/
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