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Committee advances peer‑respite MHSA innovation plan meant to expand peer‑run crisis supports
Summary
The committee advanced a Mental Health Services Act innovation plan to expand a peer‑run ‘‘peer respite’’ at San Francisco General Hospital, endorsing the program’s goal of shifting some users away from psychiatric emergency services toward a peer‑staffed respite model.
The committee advanced a resolution endorsing San Francisco’s Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) 2014–2017 innovation plan for a peer‑run respite project.
Marlo Simmons, deputy director of behavioral health services, described a pilot peer respite on the grounds of San Francisco General Hospital run by people with lived experience of public mental‑health services. The MHSA provides roughly $30 million a year for local mental‑health programs and requires that 5 percent of funding support innovation projects. Simmons said the respite — currently operating daytime hours — has shown promising results and the application to the state would ask to expand services toward a 24/7 model.
Supervisors pressed staff on intake and referral: Simmons said referrals currently come from case managers for clients engaged in case management and who have housing or a place to go at night (the peers themselves perform intake procedures). The committee moved the item forward without objection.
What’s next: The project will proceed to the Board of Supervisors for further consideration and will also seek state approval from the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission as required for MHSA innovation funds.
