[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6470867,"mediaKeyId","5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d","parentId",5778848,"title","San Francisco behavioral health leaders outline state-led plan, overdose response and new treatment capacity","audioSeconds",2214,"startMs",4554000,"endMs",6768000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d&start=4554&end=6768","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d/thumbnail_4554000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6470867/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/San-Francisco-behavioral-health-leaders-outline-state-led-plan-overdose-response-and-new-treatment-capacity","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6470867-ded3a18bca438d54a747bb9a3b25df2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770741816&Signature=TmSKajq2JySFUoQ7n8EOhvXpSWwXr2wCOO4skCz2DLd6SboNE86qsSYYac0hLqqduWh5FBJFqzDJ6L10ZGLzFwcaS8m9cqav9rb0vboPVJaGbz4XgawN~7ibEsPLwbbVpygYUvdT0yT5JQb0qfA2uFsymD0Q2jJRkjGIuRpGYTDMxZ6e17lgsg0RYYZEXTepY8N1Nut0ZyiZhX19yrEReqjbYzIOrm8mSuk26e3Tb8AttiZF0qoO68MDRrqbbiZ4N5Mdkz7VtjA3mRYY2Kdi3eWTDIbXJrWHZ20UGT8UUCFoZIs-T~IPi~~-c3cN66Ff4qMct-KPQ3amX~WgAa9u3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of San Francisco","date","2025-09-15T00:00:00Z","article","San Francisco Department of Public Health behavioral health leaders presented a wide-ranging update to the San Francisco Health Commission on Sept. 22, saying new state requirements will require counties to submit a three‑year Behavioral Health Services Act integrated plan and budget and that the city is expanding overdose prevention and addiction‑treatment capacity.

The integrated plan required under the Behavioral Health Services Act (Prop 1) covers fiscal years 2026–29 and, officials said, for the first time must account for all payer and revenue sources used for specialty behavioral health services. “The plan must be informed by local stakeholder input,” Behavioral Health Director Dr. Coonens told commissioners, and counties must submit drafts for state review in March 2026 with final plans due June 30, 2026.

Why it matters: the change demands that local agencies inventory and report all funding streams—beyond the Mental Health Services Act—and tie them to measurable service outcomes. Department officials said the requirement is a substantial operational lift for program, finance and personnel teams but could create clearer, more transparent reporting on what services are being paid for and where gaps remain.

On Medi‑Cal and new billing authorities, DPH staff described state plan amendments that let counties bill Medi‑Cal for additional evidence‑based practices, including assertive community treatment and coordinated specialty care for first‑episode psychosis. The department said designated state centers of excellence will provide technical support to counties implementing the changes.

Overdose response and treatment expansion
DPH reported an expanded local effort to reduce fatal overdose. Officials said the number of people treated in the San Francisco Health Network for substance use disorders rose by about 70 percent since January 2023 and about 40 percent since January 2024. Much of the increase, Dr. Coonens said, comes from street‑initiated starts and jail‑initiated treatment: “Two thirds of new patients on buprenorphine are started through our street telehealth program,” she said, citing the city’s street telehealth and navigator partnerships.

The department also described retention challenges: clinicians said they have succeeded in starting more people on medications for addiction treatment (MAT), but keeping patients in care remains difficult in the early weeks. DPH reported a low six‑month retention rate for newly started buprenorphine patients and is piloting strategies—long‑acting injectable buprenorphine, contingency management (small incentives for engagement), and greater linkages to shelter or structured respite—to improve retention.

Methadone access and jail health
DPH said it has increased methadone program capacity and is initiating more patients in jail settings, noting that methadone can produce higher retention for some patients but is subject to federal and state clinic regulations. The city reported growth in the total number of unique monthly methadone patients since 2023 and said additional jail‑based initiation programs and settlement funding are helping expand access.

New and expanded beds
Officials summarized recently opened and planned capacity: about 72 short‑term respite beds at the Eleanor Fagan site (formerly described as the Kean Hotel) for people exiting street homelessness; 62 recovery/step‑down beds at the Marina Inn (a Salvation Army program) intended for people leaving structured treatment; 15 new emergency stabilization unit beds for up to 30‑day stays; and increased withdrawal management beds at Harbor Lights. DPH said program outcomes will be measured primarily by exits to a next‑level-of‑care (treatment or housing) and reduced premature departures.

Conservatorship (SB 43) and system capacity
The commission also heard a focused briefing on SB 43, which amended the Lanterman‑Petris‑Short (LPS) Act to include severe substance use disorder in the definition of grave disability in some cases. DPH said the change has clarified eligibility for conservatorship in complex cases, but local leaders noted it has also increased referrals for locked subacute placements and exposed capacity limits in placements that can handle dual diagnoses (serious mental illness plus severe substance use). The department described ongoing planning to add locked subacute and dual‑diagnosis beds and to pilot placement and workflow changes with the public conservator’s office to reduce referral delays.

What the department will track: officials said they are tracking conservatorship referrals, placement availability, and whether new placements enable timely transitions from community or jail referrals. Dr. Coonens emphasized that conservatorship is a last‑resort intervention and described required clinical justification steps and court review.

Commissioner questions focused on measurement and follow‑up. Commissioners asked the department to provide the justification/recommendation templates and to return with outcome data showing whether SB 43 is increasing effective access to structured treatment for people with repeated decompensation.

Ending
Department leaders said they will return with updated metrics on medication retention, outcomes from the new respite and recovery beds, and additional detail on the integrated Behavioral Health Services Act plan as state guidance and performance measures become available.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of San Francisco - Video Open Video Only in Windows Media Player","oneSentenceSummary","San Francisco Department of Public Health behavioral health leaders presented a wide‑ranging update to the San Francisco Health Commission on Sept. 22, saying new state requirements will require counties to submit a three‑year Behavioral Health Services Act integrated plan and budget and that the city is expanding overdose prevention and addiction‑treatment capacity.","taxTitle","San Francisco City, San Francisco County, California","taxId",5751,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6470850,"Votes at a glance: San Francisco Health Commission actions Sept. 22, 2025",1674,91000,1765000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d&start=91&end=1765","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d/thumbnail_91000.jpg","/articles/6470850/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Votes-at-a-glance-San-Francisco-Health-Commission-actions-Sept-22-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6470850-e1ef8b83eeea5b52dd6f9372ca39610f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770741816&Signature=SC8o7kFoVsVGKKtnbHRBs7jT9O7EGlBQnEiC55CPj0cOCgb5wFjuTysrKSA864XdZY6zAKBvm4FEFUdx3uK4IsoNksMt0s8Blp-vVKfwUebcylWXBfxaUmxRwZO5-yMk9XKVkieJBaSWzjCrGCb~f4VV9yNdiPMl5Lzfu5E0NDkvdpjyiynt0-duq4nT13PV01HtD9BEIUgVh2~UCY7-WhbdSUoKGnNrXf~pbEFN2MvoTsd7Wr9y1X1AAhAeP3zJpzRJx13F-OX9U9isnC62kDWCWJc99BhdpC0XncmMBnPgNNjqph4lePHoRcxM7pUml6KjK11uYXBnCyxRdKKYVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The San Francisco Health Commission took several formal actions during the Sept. 22 meeting. The votes recorded in open session included minutes approval, adoption of the Laguna Honda Resident Gift Fund expenditure budget for FY 2025–26, approval of a consent calendar with one item extracted, and a motion to delay a closed‑session agenda item. The commission also voted to convene a closed session.

Summary of votes
- Approval of prior meeting minutes (Health Commission meeting of Aug. 18, 2025): motion seconded and approved by voice vote (all present Commissioners answered “aye”).

- Approval: Laguna Honda Resident Gift Fund expenditure budget for FY 2025–26. Motion made, seconded and approved by roll call/voice vote in open session. (Recorded in meeting transcript as unanimous “aye.”)

- Approval: Consent calendar (policies) with extraction of item 25. Motion to approve consent calendar with item 25 removed was made and seconded; commissioners voted “aye.”

- Motion to continue/delay closed session item D: Motion to extract item D from today’s closed‑session agenda and continue it to a future meeting was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

- Motion to convene closed session: motion made and seconded; commissioners voted to enter closed session.

Meeting notes: For several of the votes, public comment occurred before the commissioners voted. Where the transcript recorded only voice votes and no roll‑call member names, votes are recorded here as unanimous among commissioners present (no names recorded as voting no, abstaining or recused in the transcript).

Provenance (transcript excerpts)
- Minutes approval: first related comment appears at 00:01:31; final related item ending at 00:03:34 in the transcript.
- Gift fund vote: discussion starts with the presentation at 00:21:07 and vote recorded at 00:29:16.
- Consent calendar vote: JCC and consent calendar discussion begins at 02:07:27 and vote at 02:18:49.
- Motion to delay closed session item D: motion and vote recorded at 02:46:15.

Ending
All motions approved in open session were recorded as approved with voice votes; public commenters raised concerns about Laguna Honda gift‑fund spending and workplace safety that the commission said it would follow up on outside the meeting record.","The Health Commission approved meeting minutes, a Laguna Honda gift fund budget and a consent calendar (with one policy item extracted). The commission also voted to delay one closed‑session item and then convened a closed session.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6470854,"Laguna Honda housing project redesigned after $20 million state funding expected to be delayed, JCC told",304,7647000,7951000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d&start=7647&end=7951","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d/thumbnail_7647000.jpg","/articles/6470854/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Laguna-Honda-housing-project-redesigned-after-20-million-state-funding-expected-to-be-delayed-JCC-told","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6470854-bdf10769bd02441fb734b9ccb609591f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770741816&Signature=A36ku3qRA~KrKSUySDuFfoVue2PCBxTEHgQH~9xlcbiHMMb-GbMmdejLpZRGjXbn1JbnsRSOa9VHzvKmMSPn4bJW4GJ8zewm1eaqMybNXooiLX7fHHKuT717cH2KaUEmwpixkWgqeDQfn9AwDAbZ9y9o-Be3eLTg1UDsXx5TKwPh7Ceozlx3xzh94vH~na4XdUGz4nODmTC109YPTEMW6z2cXpWtLPQHRl5Y4N25h1BvUqi~UsDHPB7Wb7o1p0zt~f24YYlzVp~wV4VjoendiHGx3kmkVFv-MmqyP6jm~gON9mAx3-klB8ZKeP-Rki1H~GK-ZENUuE6l5CbE5LqWJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Laguna Honda Joint Conference Committee (JCC) reported to the Health Commission on Sept. 22 that a planned state funding source—about $20 million tied to a multifamily Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)—is not expected as previously timed, and that Mercy Housing and the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development are redesigning the Laguna Honda campus housing project to preserve feasibility.

What JCC heard
Commissioner Guillermo reported the JCC review from the Sept. 8 meeting. Committee members were told the state NOFA that the project had expected will not be available in the timeline anticipated; the project had been relying on that $20 million plus a local $50 million bond source. Mercy and the mayor’s housing staff are considering moving the proposal to a single‑phase development to reduce capital costs and simplify operations. That reconfiguration, commissioners were told, would increase efficiency and bring units online faster but would reduce the total unit count and eliminate the proposed licensed assisted‑living component.

Next steps and financing
An updated concept plan and financing approach will return to the JCC at its next meeting (delayed until December per the JCC schedule). Committee members were told Mercy and city housing offices are also exploring other funding sources to close the gap created by the state NOFA delay.

Public comment and advocacy
A public commenter urged the Health Commission to cancel the project and reallocate local funding to other senior housing projects, arguing the Laguna Honda campus site lacks nearby neighborhood retail and that redesigns will reduce unit counts. The commenter asked the commission to reassign municipal funding to projects that can produce housing faster.

Ending
The JCC will review an updated plan and financing at its next scheduled meeting; commissioners and the public can expect revised unit counts and financing scenarios then.","Mercy Housing and city officials told the Laguna Honda Joint Conference Committee the state multifamily Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) that the project expected will not be released in the planned 2026 cycle; the project may move from two phases to one, reducing unit counts and dropping assisted‑living plans.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6470858,"Commission approves Laguna Honda gift fund budget amid public concerns about unsafe call‑center conditions and gift‑fund spending",240,1267000,1507000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d&start=1267&end=1507","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d/thumbnail_1267000.jpg","/articles/6470858/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Commission-approves-Laguna-Honda-gift-fund-budget-amid-public-concerns-about-unsafe-callcenter-conditions-and-giftfund-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6470858-073cbfa622436daf833d948f4cdd6995/orig.mp4?Expires=1770741816&Signature=n7AfzlaJ9leKHqIa1bmPPLVp9S4PqG2Bwq8nATjUZu-iEM0VcMSNBAtTlHXaj7Kh~S6KrJo-AdgoSniNt7oE8Sc0jt3R4bOmhyEpmDfBcM~YctiLh-Gbh8a-BnXcmg9B2emPxTtFI9oJpSR8Ui9P9StvqJaprbB7RHQzpgR05CxfypvfWHwCFVCssewRaargFHDrbwMire2VtnK4vkZMIjG0ExkUPN-pYApUWwxQMsQjiOQwxaf32NsEUSYtlaKNAQcwOZCEzXGQ4SfMcABtWn4avj~L7HxbWaQGZlRnaf5pm1gkLCg6qBywgxmAZhPLaqyWzH4NFkMvxQj8wS5nLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The San Francisco Health Commission on Sept. 22 approved the Laguna Honda Hospital Resident Gift Fund expenditure budget for fiscal year 2025–26, while members of the public used the meeting to press the Department of Public Health on alleged unsafe conditions at the Laguna Honda call center and on how gift‑fund money is being used.

Gift fund budget approval
Leo Palacios, gift fund program manager, told commissioners the gift fund provides donations for the general benefit and comfort of Laguna Honda patients. He said FY 2024–25 revenue was about $440,500 and that total spending in the prior fiscal year was roughly $306,700. For FY 2025–26, Palacios said the Resident Gift Fund Committee approved a more conservative expenditure plan that reduces the overall budget by about $140,000 to preserve a finite fund while restoring some purchases to the hospital operating fund where appropriate.

The commission called for a motion and, after a second and public comment, approved the gift fund expenditure budget. (Vote recorded as aye; motion seconded; no recorded dissent.)

Public comments on safety and gift‑fund use
Several public commenters raised concerns during general public comment and during the gift‑fund item. Kerry Dahl, a union representative for SEIU Local 1021 who represents Laguna Honda nurses and eligibility workers, described unsafe conditions at Unit E3 of the call center following a return‑to‑office directive. Dahl listed concerns including “lead exposure, asbestos, seismic safety, and vermin,” and said workers received belated testing showing lead levels above state limits but were not given alternate workspace. “It’s 82 degrees inside this office today,” Dahl said during her remarks.

Remote commenter Manette Shah raised concerns about the gift fund itself, alleging low spending rates in some gift fund categories last fiscal year and questioning reductions in proposed line items for the new fiscal year. Shah told commissioners the “gift card money incentive for patients is being routed to the LHH operating budget” and asked for updated charts and explanations. The meeting record shows commissioners heard those comments and that the budget was approved after public comment.

What the commission decided and next steps
Commissioners approved the gift fund expenditure budget after discussion and public comment. Commissioners did not adopt follow‑up directives on the record at the meeting beyond the standard approval; public commenters asked the commission and Laguna Honda leadership to review gift‑fund policy and to confirm that donated patient funds are being spent for patient benefits.

Ending
Public commenters asked the commission to place a review of Laguna Honda’s gift‑fund policy on a future agenda and to provide updated spending charts. DPH staff and commissioners indicated they would follow up outside the meeting record.","The Health Commission approved Laguna Honda Hospital’s Resident Gift Fund expenditure budget for FY 2025–26 while public commenters raised safety concerns at Laguna Honda call‑center Unit E3 and disputed the transfer of some gift‑fund expenditures to the hospital operating budget.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6470863,"Population Health Division details data, lab modernization and neighborhood health planning",1402,1799000,3201000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d&start=1799&end=3201","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778848-a8b9bfbd50be8261d9d46a92db2c0e0d/thumbnail_1799000.jpg","/articles/6470863/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Population-Health-Division-details-data-lab-modernization-and-neighborhood-health-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6470863-7a0ad9446d99401d7f17680ead5d8539/orig.mp4?Expires=1770741816&Signature=GXDJNAoToVOjdNcNwnbba278fwZZVG5rBokJuUEY0fAS0ANi5Hf-LHKAuEuWGoIdRSYSQRUbjB19uJ4nxxeqNuyDuxRBjxpUzwrCkGtysVi74D1C9cD37G95AjfwOY3118KBMakPQN4npH34FXwBQzpeuHPL9OuI2Z764b1rYZEXrW7W9HTd7xNqgMr8L0zC4WoSi~tOP5chJvgX32t7bh0q471IV3fzhkim2M0gpaddms6p8ldwgac5l~ZfYg1o10aVsilIcH5XhizOjq-5vpHNNMI2BoWyKM7nzfBXennbajY8A8B951~6wv7DIJ2eSQ5oFaulf9JFMT5b5Zs9QA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Susan Philip, director of the Population Health Division (PhD) at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, presented an overview of the division’s work and priorities to the Health Commission on Sept. 22, highlighting data modernization, public health laboratory upgrades and neighborhood‑level community health planning.

Dr. Philip said the division’s total expenditure budget is about $151 million and that roughly 25 percent of funding comes from grant sources. She described an organizational change that added deputy directors and deputy health officers to improve coordination across branches, and she introduced a new deputy director for Surveillance, Data and Analytics, Dr. Kyle Bernstein.

Public health laboratory and billing changes
Dr. Philip described the public health laboratory’s (PHL) recent technical and billing work. PHL connected to the citywide EPIC electronic health record in 2023 and, after a multi‑disciplinary effort to build billing interfaces, began billing Medi‑Cal managed care plans in August 2024. The division said the change produced an incremental revenue stream for the lab and will inform expansion of billing improvements to other clinics.

Community health assessment and data work
PhD is continuing community workshops for the Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP); completion of the CHIP is expected in winter 2025–26 with regular monitoring thereafter and the next CHA/CHIP cycle planned for 2028. Dr. Philip said the division is increasing capacity to present neighborhood‑level “community epidemiology” that combines infectious and noninfectious conditions so partners can plan interventions across clinical and social domains.

Staffing and operations
The division reported about 471 budgeted full‑time equivalents covering laboratory, environmental health, epidemiology, clinics and operations. Dr. Philip emphasized efforts to diversify staff and leadership and praised a centralized operations group responsible for finance, hiring, purchasing, vital records, and other shared services.

Other highlights and next steps
Dr. Philip noted recent site moves and upgrades: the adult immunization and travel clinic moved to 27 Van Ness and the PHL is scheduled to open in a renovated Building 5 next year. She told the commission the division will continue to strengthen data linkages, advance neighborhood epidemiology, and use state and academic partnerships to tackle chronic disease, climate‑related health risks and surveillance for emerging infections.

Ending
Commissioners asked for follow‑up on workforce diversity categories and on potential collaborations with school health programs. Dr. Philip said staff would provide updates and that the division will return Oct. 6 with a focused Hunters Point shipyard update.","The San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Population Health Division told the Health Commission about organizational changes, a $151 million budget, lab billing improvements after EPIC integration, the community health assessment/CHIP process and a push for neighborhood‑level epidemiology.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

San Francisco behavioral health leaders outline state-led plan, overdose response and new treatment capacity

Votes at a glance: San Francisco Health Commission actions Sept. 22, 2025

Laguna Honda housing project redesigned after $20 million state funding expected to be delayed, JCC told

Commission approves Laguna Honda gift fund budget amid public concerns about unsafe call‑center conditions and gift‑fund spending

Population Health Division details data, lab modernization and neighborhood health planning