24/7 Crisis Hotline 650-579-0350
StarVista’s Crisis Center provides intervention services for schools, a 24-hour crisis hotline, online teen support and chat room, an alcohol and drug helpline, and a parent support hotline.
The Crisis Center also provides clinical services focusing on short term therapy services during or after a crisis occurs, to any youth (K-12) who lives or goes to school in San Mateo County.
Our professional staff provide lifechanging support and services with passion, dedication, and a deep sense of caring and concern for the welfare of every person we serve.
Who could call the crisis line?
• Anyone who feels sad, hopeless, or suicidal.
• Family and friends who are concerned about a loved one.
• Anyone interested in mental health treatment and service referrals.
• Or anyone who just needs some support through a personal crisis.
Our Suicide Hotline is available 24-hours a day, seven days a week for crisis intervention.
Trained volunteers and staff treat callers with empathy and compassion and provide referrals for community resources and services.
OUR SERVICES
24 Hour Crisis Hotline
For People who are feeling depressed, suicidal – or who just want to talk to someone about problems they’re facing – StarVista’s 24/7 hotline 650-579-0350 offers a safe and anonymous place for people to explore feelings, concerns, vent frustrations, clarify problems and get referrals.
Website and Teen Crisis Services
StarVista’s Crisis Center’s website www.sanmateocrisis.org provides a dedicated space to share program services, updates, resources, and more. The website provides information on mental health and local community resources 24 hours a day.
StarVista’s Teen Crisis Services include an online teen chat and text line. The online teen chat is a free, peer-to-peer service that can be accessed on www.sanmateocrisis.org (previously onyourmind.net). The teen text line, a new service being introduced this year, is a free, peer-to-peer service that can be accessed by texting 650-747-6463. Both services offer teens the opportunity to chat anonymously with trained youth peer counselors under Crisis Center staff supervision about various topics. While mainly focused on crisis intervention and suicide prevention, teens can also talk about school stress, relationship issues, and mental health challenges.
Educational Presentations
Crisis Center staff perform free mental health presentations at schools and in the community throughout San Mateo County each year to both students and adults. These interactive workshops cover topics including mental health, suicide myths and facts, risk factors, warning signs, and how to talk to someone who is suicidal. To schedule a presentation, you can email veronica.polanco@star-vista.org.
Training Services
Our crisis hotline volunteers receive a 5-week training. The training topics include crisis de-escalation, suicide risk assessment, LGBTQ+ domestic violence, active listening, grief & loss, alcohol & drugs, and cultural diversity. In addition, volunteers receive 8 hours observing calls and 8 hours taking calls while supervised.
Clinical Services
Schools may request additional assistance with suicidal assessments or crisis intervention by calling the crisis hotline at 650-579-0350. Interventions are available for free of costs to schools in San Mateo County. We also provide short term therapy services during or after a crisis occurs. In addition, we give assistance for assessing immediate suicidal crisis.