San Mateo County Pride Center

The San Mateo County Pride Center is the first LGBTQ+ community center in San Mateo County, a one-stop home for education, counseling, advocacy and support for LGBTQ+ people of all ages across the Peninsula. The Center opened in June 2017 after more than a decade of community organizing, and it pairs affirming mental health care with social and educational programming, working in partnership with Outlet, a program of Adolescent Counseling Services.

Clinical services include individual, relationship, family and group therapy on a sliding scale, pay-what-you-can model, plus free case management for housing, healthcare, employment, legal aid and legal name and gender marker changes. The clinical team also refers people to vetted LGBTQ+ affirming providers who take Medi-Cal or private insurance, and to providers who can write letters of support.

Community life happens in peer groups led by staff and volunteers: an LGBTQ+ Book Club co-hosted with San Mateo County Libraries, Trans* Peer Support, Queer Peers, a Queer Women's Group, a Gay Men's Group, an LGBTQ+ Parents Group, Polyamory Peer Power, Crafting in Community and a QTBIPOC group. With Outlet, youth ages 10 to 25 find free peer groups, leadership through the Youth Advisory Board, and creative projects like the Queer Joy Zine. The Center also brings LGBTQ+ trainings such as SOGIE / LGBTQ+ 101 to providers and organizations.

Programs and services run virtually Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Reach the team at 650-591-0133 or info@sanmateopride.org, or email clinical@sanmateopride.org about therapy and case management. Neighbors can join the Community Advisory Board, come to events, and donate to keep these services going.