Workers and residents urge supervisors to protect health, behavioral‑health staff as budget cuts loom

Dozens of in‑person and Zoom commenters told the Board that cuts to county healthcare and behavioral‑health staffing would translate into longer waits, missed appointments and lost services for vulnerable residents.

Charles Rothschild, a District 5 resident with Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good, described six‑hour waits he experienced at a public hospital and told the Board that reductions to county subsidies and Medi‑Cal changes would worsen access. Andrea Carter, who identified herself as representing 16 medical unit clerks proposed for deletion, said those clerks coordinate critical logistics — scheduling, discharge planning and appointments — and argued that eliminating positions would directly affect patient safety and compliance in custody health settings. Several behavioral‑health workers (including Marissa Simon, Cynthia Cortez and Katlyn Blue) described longer wait times, lost bilingual capacity and the risk of more people seeking emergency care if call‑center and clinic positions are reduced.

Public commenters also urged the county to keep Measure A dollars focused on hospitals and safety‑net services, and many speakers asked the Board to work with unions and contractors to find alternatives to layoffs. The Board and administration acknowledged the public concerns and directed staff to consider protections where possible and to supply detailed analyses of clinical impacts and community clinic consolidation plans before final budget adoption.