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San Francisco Health Commission honors outgoing director Grant Colfax as Dan Tsai takes helm
Summary
The San Francisco Health Commission adopted a resolution honoring Dr. Grant Colfax for six years as Director of Public Health and heard introductory remarks from incoming Director Dan Tsai, who said he will prioritize listening, access improvements and addressing mental health and substance-use challenges.
The San Francisco Health Commission adopted a resolution honoring Dr. Grant Colfax for six years as the city's Director of Public Health and welcomed Dan Tsai, who began his first day as the new director on March 3, 2025.
The resolution, read to the commission and staff, credited Dr. Colfax with leading the Department of Public Health (DPH) through the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing vaccination and testing programs, advancing mental health and substance-use services and overseeing systems improvements including implementation of a unified electronic medical record and the recertification of Laguna Honda Hospital. Deputy Director Navina Bhabha told commissioners that Colfax "has led with integrity, compassion, and a deep commitment to improving health equity." The commission approved the resolution by voice vote.
Why this matters: The leadership change comes as San Francisco continues to respond to ongoing behavioral-health and infectious-disease challenges and implements systemwide operational improvements. The commission framed the handoff as continuity of departmental expertise and a moment to highlight recent accomplishments and outstanding work.
Details of the transition and remarks
In brief remarks after the resolution passed, Dr. Colfax reflected on his six years leading the department, thanked staff and commissioners and said he was honored to have served. Dan Tsai, speaking on his first day, said he was "very, very excited to be here" and emphasized a posture of listening and responsiveness to the community. Tsai singled out ambulatory care process improvements already underway as the kind of people-centered changes he wants to advance: pilot efforts to expand open-access scheduling, allow appointment cancellation or rescheduling by text, and improve primary-care appointment timeliness.
Commissioners and DPH staff offered personal appreciation. Commissioner Christian, citing her work in treatment courts, praised expansions of street teams and treatment capacity. Several commissioners credited Colfax with steadying the department through overlapping crises and assembling a team that the incoming director will inherit.
What the resolution says and next steps
The resolution notes accomplishments including a lower COVID-19 death rate compared with state and national averages; distribution of more than 55,000 MPOX vaccines during that emergency; bringing 430 new treatment and care beds online (with 135 reported in the pipeline); implementation of the first unified electronic medical record for the health system; reductions in vacancy and turnover figures; and recertification of Laguna Honda Hospital for Medicare and Medicaid.
Commissioners presented Dr. Colfax with a plaque and invited staff for photographs. Director Tsai said he plans to engage staff and community partners, continue operational improvements and focus on mental health, substance use and access to care.
Speakers quoted in this article are drawn from the meeting record and include those listed below in the speaker whitelist.
Ending
The commission scheduled no formal action beyond passage of the resolution. The leadership transition is administrative; no new department policy was adopted at the March 3 meeting. Director Tsai and departmental staff signaled that further public updates will come as he and leadership teams set priorities and review ongoing projects.
