San Francisco's battle against its mental health and substance abuse crisis just got a bureaucratic turbo-boost. On February 13, the city's Board of Supervisors gave the green light to legislation pitched by Mayor London N. Breed, aimed at sidestepping the typical snail-paced procurement process for public health beds. According to a statement from the Mayor's Office, the law intends to fast-track the acquisition of residential treatment and care beds to serve individuals with severe behavioral health conditions better.
The unanimous approval comes as a breath of fresh air to those closely watching the city's urgency in handling its behavioral health treatment needs. San Francisco, pressing forward where other counties in California have hesitated, has begun employing new state conservatorship laws under Senate Bill 43 from the start of the year. As Mayor Breed pointed out in a statement obtained by the Mayor's Office, "Too often we cling to long, bureaucratic processes that stand in the way of solutions," expressing gratitude for support for this “commonsense legislation that will expedite our ability to acquire beds and save lives.”
Accommodated by the new law are approximately 2,550 behavioral health treatment and care beds, making it evident that the city recognizes the magnitude of the crisis. Moreover, with 355 beds added under Mayor Breed's expansion plan and more on the horizon for this year, steps are being taken to address the current shortfall and prepare for future demands.
Trimming down the red tape means the SFDPH can now dodge a lengthy RFP process to contract third-party facilities for public health beds, enhancing the City's competitiveness while hunting for limited resources. As Supervisor Rafael Mandelman highlighted in a statement obtained by the Mayor's Office, the need to "acquire behavioral health treatment beds more quickly" is critical in tackling mental illness and addiction cases spilling onto city streets. On the other side of the care spectrum, Supervisor Hillary Ronen stressed the legislation’s capacity to facilitate immediate, potentially life-changing treatment for those affected.
Although the ordinance kicks the RFP process to the curb for five years, San Francisco's approach lacks checks and balances. The city is determined to adhere to stringent transparency and accountability measures, ensuring no corners are cut to provide quality care to its most vulnerable residents. Dr. Grant Colfax, Director of Health, praised the efforts of Mayor Breed and the supporting supervisors, affirming in a statement obtained by the Mayor's Office that the streamlining of bed acquisition is a forward leap in serving their clients' behavioral health needs.
