As San Francisco’s Department of Public Health prepares to transition 83 long-term residents from the General Hospital’s Behavioral Health Center, concerns mount regarding the impact on some of the city’s most vulnerable individuals.
Sharifa Rahman, a dedicated mental health worker known as ‘the Mother of ARF’ due to her 24 years of service, expresses profound anxiety about the planned relocation.
‘We are talking about the most vulnerable people in San Francisco,’ Rahman remarked.
The residents of the Behavioral Health Center often suffer from chronic mental-health conditions, making any change in their environment particularly difficult.
‘Even moving from one room to another room is depressing for them. Think about moving them out of this place they call home,’ she added.
The city intends to move these residents to newly acquired facilities on Laguna Street in Hayes Valley, which officials describe as a ‘thoughtful’ approach to better address the needs of patients with more severe mental health conditions.
However, nurses and family members of the residents have voiced their concerns, fearing that the relocation may jeopardize the care residents receive.
On a Thursday morning, 70 protesters, including nurses and family members, demonstrated in front of the Behavioral Health Center, voicing their discontent with the city’s decision.
According to Rahman, past experiences highlight the dangers of such moves.
She recalled numerous cases where clients were transferred out of the facility only to suffer from negligent care, leading to hospitalization or even death.
‘We need more of these kinds of facilities,’ Rahman emphasized.
While the Department of Public Health has assured that there will be no layoffs due to this transition, it has indicated that the operations at the Laguna Street facilities may be contracted out to external providers.
Several nurses and social workers have confirmed that city officials informed them of this development, which could eliminate their ability to continue working with their clients.
The Department of Public Health has not definitively confirmed that services will indeed be contracted out, but noted, ‘Programs such as these have historically been run by providers with expertise in this type of residential care.’
Jennifer Esteen, a psychiatric nurse and vice president of organizing for SEIU 1021, conveyed uncertainty about the level of care at the new sites.
‘We don’t know what level of care it is going to be. We don’t know what entities they will contract this out to. At this point, there is no promise to be made,’ she said.
Rahman remains doubtful about the adequacy of the care that residents might receive in the new facilities.
She pointed out discrepancies in staffing requirements between the Behavioral Health Center and typical board-and-care facilities.
‘Here, we have LVNs, site techs, CNAs, and activity leaders,’ Rahman noted, highlighting the enhanced care available.
In a phased approach, the city plans to move 45 seniors from the second floor of the Behavioral Health Center in late fall 2025 to one of the newly purchased Laguna properties at 624 Laguna St.
Another group of 38 adults on the first floor is slated for relocation in late fall 2026 to 601 Laguna St., a property still undergoing the purchasing process.
The Department of Public Health claims that the Laguna Street properties are better aligned with industry standards for community-based facilities, promising a less clinical and more homelike environment than the Behavioral Health Center.
However, this statement has been met with skepticism and frustration from advocates.
Benson Nadell, program director at the Felton Institute, emphasized the Behavioral Health Center’s strengths in comparison to typical care facilities.
‘It has been incredible compared to a lot of other care facilities,’ Nadell remarked.
He noted the Behavioral Health Center’s spaciousness compared to the often cramped confines of other residential care homes, emphasizing the importance of residents feeling secure and at home.
‘They tell residents, who feel secure and safe that they finally found a home, that they have to move,’ Nadell said, calling the situation ‘unacceptable.’
As the city moves forward with its plan, both residents and caregivers remain watchful, concerned about what the changes will mean for the future of mental health care in San Francisco.
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