San Mateo teens and young adults who need mental health support will have more resources behind the free drop-in center on South El Camino Real after state lawmakers secured $5 million for allcove in the fiscal year 2026-27 budget.

Assemblymember Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, helped push the funding through alongside Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, D-Santa Cruz. The pair originally lobbied for $24 million but landed on $5 million given California's tight budget picture, Berman told the San Mateo Daily Journal.

"I didn't think we would be successful because there wasn't a lot of money in the budget for these types of asks," Berman said. "Youth mental health is an issue that's been important to me my whole 10 years in the Assembly."

Berman's district has experienced multiple clusters of youth suicides, a history he cited as personal motivation for the effort.

What allcove offers

Allcove is a walk-in mental health hub born out of Stanford University research. The San Mateo location at 2600 S. El Camino Real, Suite 300, is operated by the Peninsula Health Care District and serves young people ages 12 to 25. Services include peer support, substance use counseling, and community events. No appointment is needed.

The center opened in January 2024 and celebrated its two-year anniversary in early 2026 with nearly 200 youth and adults, an afternoon that featured therapy dogs and live music, according to allcove.

Five allcove centers are open statewide, in San Mateo, Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Juan Capistrano, and Redondo Beach. Six more are in development, including one in Half Moon Bay.

How the money will be spent

The $5 million comes with no strings attached, Berman said. The unrestricted approach matches allcove's philosophy of letting young people shape the services they receive. The organization will direct the funds where it sees the highest need across its network, which includes the San Mateo site.

On Monday, April 28, more than 40 allcove youth and staff traveled to the state Capitol in Sacramento to advocate for the budget appropriation. They were welcomed onto the Assembly floor by Berman, Pellerin, and Sen. Josh Becker.

What's next

Berman has also authored a separate bill that would create free youth mental health and suicide prevention training for teachers and parents. That measure is on the governor's desk awaiting a signature, according to the Daily Journal.

Allcove San Mateo is open Monday through Friday, 1–7 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome. The center can be reached at (650) 226-7030.