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Supervisors press to expand Mental Health SF teams; committee asks for technical amendments and timeline
Summary
Supervisors and Department of Public Health debated a plan to scale up Mental Health SF crisis response teams from four to six and to operate a 24‑hour service center; DPH and budget staff identified a ~$763,000 first‑year shortfall and a larger third‑year gap tied to voter measures, and agreed to return Wednesday with technical amendments and a funding plan.
Supervisors pressed the Department of Public Health on how to accelerate implementation of Mental Health SF, including adding two crisis response teams and making the city’s mental health service center a 24‑hour operation.
"If we are ready to take a leap and fully implement Mental Health SF with its 24‑hour crisis teams, we can fund it in years 1 and 2 assuming the gross receipts tax passes," said Supervisor Hillary Ronan, who championed adding two teams this budget cycle. Ronan and colleagues said the operational change would help redirect street‑level crisis calls away from police.
DPH and budget staff described the fiscal mechanics and timing. Jenny Louie, acting CFO for DPH, said the cost of one additional crisis response team is roughly $1.8 million per year and two teams over the two‑year budget cycle were estimated at about $5.47 million (partial first‑year staffing yields a pro‑rated amount). Greg Wagner, DPH budget staff, confirmed a one‑time first‑year funding gap of about $763,480 if the capital‑to‑operations swap is used and urged careful sequencing to avoid a third‑year cliff.
Dr. Grant Colfax, DPH director, said the department supports rapid scaling but has not yet identified all behavioral health staff for implementation and is working with Fire and other partners on hiring. Controller Ben Rosenfield offered to draft the technical amendments and to work with DPH to return to the committee with implementable language before Wednesday’s follow‑up meeting.
Supervisors stressed contingency planning: the committee repeatedly noted the expansion depends on passage of anticipated revenue measures (gross receipts and CEO pay taxes) that underpin the two‑year plan. Chair Sandra Lee Feuer directed staff to have a short follow‑up next Wednesday so the committee can vote quickly if an agreed amendment is ready.
What happens next: DPH, the Controller’s Office and BLA will prepare technical amendments and a schedule to present at the committee’s next session; supervisors signaled political support but emphasized the need to close the first‑year gap and to identify options for the third‑year funding cliff if voter measures fail.
