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Public health nurses, mental-health clinic directors and oral surgery among midyear cuts drawing hours of public objection
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee reviewed Department of Public Health midyear and FY08-09 reduction proposals that include cuts to chronic-care public-health nursing, mental-health clinic directors and oral/elective surgery at San Francisco General; dozens of clinicians, patients and union representatives urged restoring $1M+ of the proposed midyear reductions to avoid more ER visits and loss of continuity of care.
The San Francisco Budget & Finance Committee spent extended time on Department of Public Health (DPH) reduction proposals that the department and mayor's budget office say are necessary to help close an emerging multi-hundred-million-dollar citywide gap. DPH Director Dr. Mitch Katz presented a list of midyear and next-year options that together total tens of millions of dollars in proposed reductions. Committee members heard extensive public testimony urging the city to protect specific services.
DPH proposals discussed by staff include delaying or reducing program expansions, staff substitutions, clinic-scheduling changes and higher-level service adjustments across several public-health programs. Among the items that prompted the strongest public response were proposed midyear reductions that…
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