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DPH details bed expansions, $21M state grant to convert SFGH floors to locked subacute units
Summary
Director Tsai told the commission that DPH received $21 million in state Prop 1 funding to convert two floors at San Francisco General into locked subacute units, described a 70+ bed expansion with HSH, and said resident transitions and staffing conversations are underway with unions and clinicians.
DPH Director Grant Colfax Tsai updated the Health Commission on efforts to expand behavioral health treatment capacity, calling attention to newly awarded state capital funding and plans to stand up additional locked subacute beds.
Tsai said the department received $21,000,000 in state Prop 1 funding to convert two floors of San Francisco General’s behavioral health center into locked subacute units to address a documented deficit of that level of care. ‘‘We received good news around the $21,000,000 of state funding to be able to do the conversion at San Francisco General,’’ Tsai said, noting all positions for the converted units will be civil‑service roles and that staffing expansions and union engagement have already begun to ensure smooth patient transitions.
Tsai described the broader bed‑expansion strategy — including more residential treatment models like RESTORE and an expansion alongside the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing for 70‑plus recovery‑oriented beds — and emphasized efforts to create board‑and‑care and residential options for people currently residing on lower floors of the Behavioral Health Center. She said staff and resident transitions are planned with one‑on‑one case work and that transitions will not happen before this fall.
During public comment, Patrick Monette Shaw said he was concerned that repurposing beds historically dedicated to long‑term care has led to resident displacement in prior years and urged caution. He also asserted that the remodeling of 57 locked beds at a site would cost $27,600,000; that dollar figure was presented as public comment and was not independently confirmed in the presentation.
Commissioners asked for a holistic inventory of bed types and timelines so the commission and the public can benchmark progress against past studies and current needs. Tsai agreed to return with a bed‑inventory snapshot that details how the new beds and treatment slots fit into the department’s gap analysis.
The commission did not vote on a specific conversion action during this meeting; staff said further planning, community engagement and coordination with unions and partner agencies will continue before transitions begin.
