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Health commission declares incarceration a public-health issue, approves resolution and plans working group
Summary
The San Francisco Health Commission unanimously approved a resolution framing incarceration as a public-health issue and directing DPH to catalogue programs, form a working group with community partners and provide updates; dozens of public commenters supported prevention, diversion and reentry investment.
The San Francisco Health Commission voted to adopt a resolution recognizing incarceration as a public-health issue and to develop an interdivisional work plan that catalogs existing department programs, identifies gaps and invites community and partner feedback.
Deputy Director Navina Bava and Dr. Lisa Pratt briefed commissioners on the resolution's scope, which covers prevention, treatment, jail health services and reentry supports. Bava said the department will "take an internal catalog of all of the programs that are working on the risk factors around incarceration and determining with that group effort the goals of a working group, our objectives and our timeline," and that the department is "hoping to have a kickoff in the late summer, early fall."
The public comment period included more than a dozen speakers representing advocacy groups, service providers and city programs. Testimony came from Roma Guy and others who helped draft earlier work, community providers such as HealthRight 360 (Erica Frommer) and Transitions Clinic Network (Joe Calderon), pretrial diversion staff, and the sheriff (who spoke in support but did not provide a public name). Speakers stressed prevention, diversion, trauma-informed care, reentry services and housing as essential complements to jail-health operations.
Erica Frommer of HealthRight 360 praised DPH interventions and urged incorporation of harm-reduction principles: "We strongly believe community based treatment is the best way to address an individual's severe behavioral health and or substance use disorders," she said.
Sheriff (speaking in a personal capacity) noted that San Francisco has a high pretrial release rate and expressed support for measures that could reduce the jail population and improve conditions for remaining detainees.
Commissioners praised the collaborative drafting process, acknowledged the resolution builds on prior committee work and moved to approve the amended resolution. The motion carried by voice vote.
Next steps: DPH will form the internal working group, define objectives and timelines, include consultant support as needed, and report progress back to the commission as the initiative advances.
