WHEREAS, in the past, the Health Commission has developed policies to increase substance abuse treatment services, which are under implementation by the Department through the Treatment on Demand initiative; and,

WHEREAS, the Department has submitted an increase to substance abuse treatment funding for FY 1998-99 to continue the implementation of Treatment on Demand; and,

WHEREAS, the Health Commission has developed policies on providing a mental health single standard of care for MediCal and indigent patients; and,

WHEREAS, the Department proposed to implement this policy through increased funding for mental health treatment for indigents for FY 1998-99; and,

WHEREAS, the Department has determined that homelessness can be a significant contributor to poor health status, and that sufficient health care and supportive housing services are not available to the current homeless populations in San Francisco; and,

WHEREAS, the Department has submitted a request to increase health and supportive housing services to the homeless for FY 1998-99; and,

WHEREAS, the Department has reorganized its services to include a prevention and health promotion branch within the Division of Public Health in order to focus its resources and programs to the prevention of illness; and,

WHEREAS, prevention of illness has been shown to be a more cost effect approach to treatment; and,

WHEREAS, the Department has proposed to develop prevention services for special and at-risk populations, including the African-American community, and has developed proposals for injury prevention for the community at large; and,

WHEREAS, the Department has identified surplus revenues in the current year which will be available for FY 1998-99; and,

WHEREAS, the Department has identified critical infrastructure, capital and MIS projects which require additional funding in order to maintain the current services, facilities, and information systems; and,

WHEREAS, the Department has recommended that surplus revenues in the current year be used to fund a portion of infrastructure, capital and MIS expenditures; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Health Commission supports the policy of increasing health and supportive housing services for the homeless; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Health Commission supports the policy of increasing prevention  services to target populations and to the community at large; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Health Commission supports the policy of increasing funding for MIS and capital projects and other one time infrastructure costs in order to protect and preserve our existing programs, facilities, and systems.

I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Health Commission at its meeting of Tuesday, February 17, 1998.