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San Francisco officials cite sharp drop in overdose deaths as new campaign and telehealth access expand
Summary
DPH director said overdose deaths are down substantially in 2024 and described a new "Living Proof" public-education campaign and a nighttime telehealth buprenorphine program; commissioners praised the drop while public commenters urged continued efforts and vigilance.
San Francisco Department of Public Health officials told the Health Commission that recent initiatives to expand treatment and public education are associated with a marked decline in overdose deaths.
"The key message is that treatment works and people are living proof that treatment works," Director Grant Colfax said as he described the department—s new Living Proof campaign, which features San Franciscans who have benefited from addiction treatment. Colfax said the effort complements a new nighttime on-demand medication treatment program that connects people to medical professionals by telehealth and allows buprenorphine to be prescribed from 8 a.m. to midnight every day in San Francisco.
Colfax also offered data he said show progress: "compared to October of 2023, overdose deaths are down by over 50 percent, in 2024," and "to date, overdose deaths are down now over 20 percent compared to 2023." He and other officials emphasized that, despite the improvement, the city still faces far too many deaths and must continue expanding treatment and recovery services.
Public commenter Chris Ward Klein praised the department and its partners for the recent reductions, saying the figure of 32 overdoses in the last month represented "an incredible move in the right direction" and urging continued work to reduce monthly counts to under 20. Klein identified himself as CEO of a nonprofit, Prejudice and Violence Ends Now, and said community outreach and targeted departmental action contributed to the improvement.
Commissioners welcomed the report and asked staff to continue reporting outcomes and implementation details for the new programs. Colfax said the department will show the public how Proposition B funds are spent and pledged continued oversight of treatment and recovery investments.
The most recent procedural step noted in the meeting is continued monitoring and follow-up reporting; no new legislation or binding action was taken at this session.
