Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
San Francisco Fire Department outlines EMS‑6 impact, staffing and limits of involuntary holds
Summary
Medical director Dr. Clement Yeh and Section Chief Simon Pang told the Fire Commission EMS‑6 has reduced frequent 911 use among managed clients, outlined staffing and hours to expand coverage, and cautioned that involuntary psychiatric holds (Welfare & Institutions Code §5150) should remain a last resort performed with law enforcement and behavioral health partners.
San Francisco’s EMS‑6 community paramedic team has helped reduce repeat 911 use among the city’s highest‑utilizing clients, department leaders told the Fire Commission on Nov. 13, while urging caution about expanding involuntary detention authority.
Dr. Clement Yeh, medical director for the Fire Department, said the program began in January 2016 as a multi‑agency pilot and focuses on "meeting people where they're at, figuring out where the gaps are, where the unmet needs are," and connecting them to housing, primary care, mental‑health services and other supports. He said EMS‑6 provides de‑identified data to the state EMS authority and OSHPD to support policy changes.
Section Chief Simon Pang presented case studies showing measurable declines in emergency use among managed clients. "On…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
