Highlights of the Mental Health Association's history:
1946
The Mental Hygiene Society of San Mateo County opens a child guidance clinic in Burlingame.
1947
The child guidance clinic expands into what eventually becomes the County's Mental Health Services system serving all of San Mateo County.
1948-1954
The Mental Hygiene Society becomes the Mental Health Society and sponsors community education series.
1958
The Mental Health Society officially incorporates at the Mental Health Association of San Mateo County and a group 1959 of local women organize themselves into an auxilliary for the agency sponsoring a "Harvest Hoe-down" dinner and dance.
1963-1965
The Mental Health Association led the way in working toward the beginning of the first halfway house for people who had been treated at Agnews or Napa State Hospitals and were returning to live in the community. The halfway house was El Camino House and MHA gave rise to a new nonprofit agency named Mental Health Recovery, Inc., known today as CAMINAR.
1970
The MHA opened its first Friendship Center, providing social and recreational activities for the mentally ill and staffed entirely by community volunteers.
1971
"An Evening with Vincent Price", was sponsored by the MHA as a benefit fundraiser for the Friendship Centers.
1974
The Mental Health Association helped to organize Stambaugh Counseling Center and served as its fiscal agent.
1975
The MHA's newly formed auxilliary "Belles for Mental Health" held their first meeting at the home of Mrs. Minton Newell.
1980
MHA sponsored the Bike Clinic in Belmont where clients sold and repaired donated bikes.
1986
The MHA opens the first emergency shelter program for people who are homeless and have a major mental illness.
1990
MHA adds a second story to its Redwood City facility to house 7 units of transitional housing for people moving from the emergency shelter.
1993
MHA opens two single family homes which have been fully rehabilitated and now provide permanent, affordable, shared housing with single rooms for 11 people moving from MHA's shelter or transitional housing program.
1994
MHA and CAMINAR open a fourplex which provides housing for up to 6 homeless mentally disabled young adults. MHA owns the property and CAMINAR operates the program.
1997
MHA is negotiating to purchase a 5 unit apartment building which will provide affordable, permanent housing for up to 11 individuals in single rooms.
