Supervisor Preston Calls on City to Adopt a Comprehensive Overdose Prevention Plan

SAN FRANCISCO — District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston announced today that he will hold a hearing on the City’s overdose prevention plan. Preston chairs the Government Audit and Oversight Committee where the hearing is expected to be held. The announcement comes after the Mayor’s announcement that the Tenderloin Center, a centerpiece of the Administration’s strategy to address overdoses, will be closing at the end of this year, with no plans to replace the services offered.

“Our City lacks a plan to address the crisis of addiction and overdoses in San Francisco, and we need one without further delay,” said Preston. “We have some of the sharpest minds in public health and an amazing community of advocates. A hearing will help move us forward in a transparent and transformative way to address this public health crisis.”

The Tenderloin was added to Preston’s district in late April – just 8 weeks ago – and already Preston has met with over 100 community leaders in the weeks since the redistricting took effect. One of the top neighborhood priorities is preventing overdose fatalities and addressing opioid addiction.

“Like the rest of the country, San Francisco continues to see record lives being lost to preventable overdoses,” stated Vitka Eisen, President and CEO of HealthRIGHT 360, which has provided substance use disorder treatment in San Francisco for over 50 years. “Because of our long history providing treatment, we understand the importance of providing these programs with dignity and respect to our clients. It is critical San Francisco has a plan to continue effective models, such as the Tenderloin Center, and that we scale up what we know works.”

Preston’s announcement comes on the heels of a San Francisco Chronicle editorial noting the absence of a comprehensive plan to address drug addiction and overdoses. The Editorial contrasted San Francisco’s approach with Portugal, which launched a comprehensive plan decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of drugs, lowered barriers to voluntary treatment, and increased access to clean supplies. Portugal’s overdose rates dropped dramatically over the next four years, by 80%, while HIV cases related to drug use dropped by nearly half. Advocates in San Francisco had hoped that the launch of the Tenderloin Center would be the start of a more holistic plan for addressing addiction and preventing overdose deaths.

“As an addiction medicine specialist, I regularly see not only the significant toll of having a substance use disorder, but also the trauma and stigma that lead to and perpetuate use,” stated Dr. Theora Cimino, Primary Care Addiction Medicine Fellow for UCSF. “Creating a sustainable, non-stigmatizing, non-judgmental environment, where people can feel the healing power of compassion and acceptance - while staying safe - will be lifesaving and in accordance with evidence-based practices.”

In advance of the hearing, Preston will continue meeting with DPH, advocates, and neighborhood leaders as they work to develop a plan that will prioritize long term solutions that meet the needs of patients and the entire neighborhood.

Throughout its operation, the Tenderloin Center has logged nearly 50,000 visits and made connections to shelter, housing, and substance abuse treatment. As of June 19, 2022, the Center had also reversed 109 overdoses. The Mayor has not announced any plans to replace the center.

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