San Francisco, CA – Today Mayor London N. Breed released the following statement on the passage of Prop F, which she placed on the ballot to require individuals with substance use disorder who want to access county-funded cash assistance to be enrolled in treatment and services.
Prop F requires that those who apply for or receive benefits from the County Adult Assistance Programs (CAAP) to undergo screening for substance use disorder and participate in a substance use treatment program when the screening reveals that they may have a substance use dependency.
“The passage of prop F means we will have an important new tool to get people into treatment and to create more accountability around our City programs. We want people to seek treatment and many people do, but the reality is others are not willing or able to do so. Prop F will help get people into care. We are also sending a message that we are a city that offers help but not a city where you can just come and do whatever you want on our streets. The passage of Prop F shows that the voters believe we must be both a city of compassion and accountability. We now will be working to implement it over the coming months to make sure that we continue to offer people the critical support they need, while also being responsible and helping those with substance use disorder get the treatment they so badly need.”
State law requires all 58 counties to provide aid and support in the form of cash and other services to very low-income adults without dependents through locally funded "General Assistance" Programs. In San Francisco, the state mandated General Assistance is part of the San Francisco Human Service Agency’s County Adult Assistance Programs. With the passage of Prop F, the Human Services Agency will now undertake the task of implementing this new program over the coming months.
The initiative is part of Mayor Breed’s commitment to prioritizing treatment, offering support to people with substance use disorder in crisis, and holding them accountable when they refuse help.
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