Supervisors back motion supporting AB 186 and study of safe injection services as part of harm reduction

Supervisor Breed introduced a resolution supporting California Assembly Bill AB 186, the Safer Substance Use Services Act, and urged the city to study safe injection services as a harm-reduction option to address overdoses and substance use on San Francisco streets.

Breed said AB 186 would give local governments in specified California counties the discretion to authorize supervised consumption and public-health intervention programs intended to reduce death, disability and injury from controlled-substance use. She noted San Francisco's newly launched safe injection services task force and said the board should examine data and models from other cities.

Breed told colleagues she visited an operating supervised consumption site in Vancouver and described international experience showing reduced overdose deaths. She said San Francisco has existing needle-service facilities that could be adapted to offer supervised consumption alongside wraparound services such as detox, case management and mental-health referrals. Breed cited a 2016 cost-benefit analysis that estimated the city could save about $3.5 million per year if one safe injection program opened, and she said AB 186 would require programs to provide access to drug treatment and other services.

Breed announced two upcoming task force meetings, July 21 and Aug. 10, and encouraged public participation; she said details were posted on the Department of Public Health website. The item was introduced for discussion and no final board vote on the resolution was recorded at Tuesday's meeting.