Committee backs five-year, $17.2 million extension for Baker Places' Hummingbird respite program with data-report requirement

The Budget & Finance Committee on May 12 voted to send to the full Board a second amendment to the Department of Public Health's contract with Baker Places to continue and expand the Hummingbird respite program.

The amendment would increase the contract amount by $17,200,000 — bringing the total to a not-to-exceed amount of $27,200,000 — and extend the term five years through June 30, 2026. Michelle Rogals (DPH) introduced the request and said the contract would continue an existing 24-hour respite model that provides day drop-in and overnight capacity for people exiting psychiatric emergency services.

Kelly Hiramoto, a DPH special projects manager, described outcomes from the Hummingbird pilot: in fiscal year 2019-20 the program received 741 referrals, admitted 638 stays (538 unique individuals), and reported an average length of stay of about 13 days. Hiramoto said roughly three-quarters of referrals come from hospitals and a high share come from San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH); she said about 50 of admitted clients entered longer-term treatment programs directly during the reported year.

Supervisor (Speaker 5) asked for demographic breakdowns and stronger longitudinal tracking of participants. DPH acknowledged limits in its longitudinal data and said it has begun partnering with Whole Person Integrated Care to improve metrics and that migration to Epic should help. DPH confirmed the contract requires tracking of where people come from, length of stay and where they discharge to; it said longevity tracking (long-term outcomes) was not fully built into the existing metrics but that the department was committed to improving those measures.

Sevin Campbell of the Budget Analyst's Office summarized the request and recommended approval; she noted that more than 90% of the contract is funded with Mental Health Services Act monies and that the Analyst's Office had reviewed spending plans. Supervisor Mar requested an amendment requiring the Department to return with a one-year report describing metrics and outcomes; Deputy City Attorney Anne Pearson said adding such language was permissible. The committee voted to adopt that amendment and to forward Item 3 as amended to the full Board with a positive recommendation (aye votes recorded for Asha Safa Yi, Gordon Mar and Chair Matt Haney).

DPH and Baker Places plan to continue the pilot model and to operate an additional 1156 Valencia Street site, which DPH said will add up to 30 overnight and 25-30 day guests (operating initially at reduced capacity for COVID-related distancing). DPH described the first 18 months of the new Valencia site as funded by a Tipping Point grant, with general-fund support to follow for the remainder of the two-year initial operating period.

Next steps: the item advances to the full Board for final authorization and contracting; the committee attached an amendment directing DPH to return in one year with a report on the program's metrics and outcomes.