No. 08-01
WHEREAS, the Local Homeless Coordinating Board was established in 1996 to implement recommendations of the 1995 Continuum of Care Plan; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Health adopted the recommendations from the Continuum of Care Plan in 1995; and,
WHEREAS, one of the recommendations of the Continuum called for the formation of the Local Homeless Coordinating Board made up of community representatives, service providers, local businesses, and City agencies; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Health holds a voting seat on the Local Homeless Board and has been an active participant in policy formation; and,
WHEREAS, the Local Board is a key voice in the development of homeless policy made by the City and County of San Francisco; and,
WHEREAS, last calendar year the Local Board, in conjunction with community-based agencies, advocates, and formerly homeless individuals, rewrote the Continuum of Care Plan; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Health chaired the Integrated Health and Human Services Subcommittee of the 2001 Continuum of Care Plan; and,
WHEREAS, the 2001 Continuum of Care Plan shifts its focus from the earlier plan to highlight prevention, and emphasize linkages to primary care with a population based focus; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Health has completed an extensive Strategic Planning process, which provides strategies to improve and integrate services (physical, prevention, behavioral, social and environmental) for target vulnerable and at-risk populations; and,
WHEREAS, the Strategic Plan indicates that improved integration of services should include outcomes focused on providing housing with health and human services attached; and,
WHEREAS, the Strategic Plan will expand community-based services, such as housing, to help ensure that clients have appropriate access to services; and,
WHEREAS, the 2001 Continuum of Care Plan highlights the key strategies of prevention, emergency shelters for families and individuals, production of affordable housing, integrated health and human services and civil rights; and,
WHEREAS, these are all key components of the Departments Strategic Plan, which triggered prioritization of Department of Public Health service and funding areas, including such innovative DPH programs as the Direct Access to Housing, Emergency Fire Response, Families Living in Single Room Occupancy (SRO’s), Welfare to Work, Proposition 36 Coordination; and,
WHEREAS, the Department’s emphasis on prevention, early intervention and primary care for the homeless and at-risk populations has the positive consequence of improving health status and reducing emergency room visits; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Health will chair the newly formed Local Board Oversight and Implementation Committee to ensure that annual work plans are developed, links are made with impacted City Department’s strategic and funding processes, and homeless policy prioritization within City agencies follows the Continuum’s strategies; and,
WHEREAS, the 2001 Continuum of Care Plan has been adopted by the Local Board, has received community input, and is now being reviewed by San Francisco City Departments, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Department of Public Health has reviewed and endorsed the 2001 Continuum of Care Plan, and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that Department of Public Health urges the Board of Supervisors to consider adoption of the plan to help guide the City’s homeless policy for the next five years.
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Health Commission at its meeting of Tuesday, April 17, 2001.
Arthur R. Greenberg, Interim Health Commission Secretary