San Francisco's street crisis response team improves access to mental health and overdose care

The San Francisco County government meeting on July 4, 2025, focused on the performance and impact of the Street Crisis Response Team and the newly established Street Overdose Response Team. Key discussions highlighted the effectiveness of these teams in addressing mental health crises and overdose incidents in the city.

The Street Crisis Response Team reported that they have successfully transported individuals to care 28% of the time during their operational period from November 30 to March 11. Out of a total population of 4,392, the team recognized acute medical emergencies in 15% of cases, necessitating hospital transport. Additionally, they managed to transport individuals to non-hospital resources 13% of the time, which included psychiatric care and other essential services. Notably, the team has shown resourcefulness by assisting individuals with food stamps, medication refills, and even providing temporary housing in emergencies.

The team emphasized that 60% of their cases resulted in clients remaining in the community, with a focus on voluntary support rather than coercion. They also reported that police assistance was requested in 3.6% of encounters, primarily due to safety concerns.

The meeting also introduced the Street Overdose Response Team, which aims to address the rising number of overdose deaths, particularly among marginalized communities. In 2020, San Francisco recorded 711 overdose deaths, with over 50% of those individuals having previously interacted with emergency services. The team operates daily, monitoring radio calls for overdoses and responding to 52% of confirmed opioid overdose incidents.

A significant aspect of the overdose response strategy is the connection to follow-up care through the Post Overdose Engagement Team (POET). The team has successfully engaged 772 unique individuals, although only 4% were connected to buprenorphine treatment, highlighting challenges in facilitating immediate access to addiction treatment.

Plans to enhance the overdose response include a pilot program allowing community paramedics to administer buprenorphine directly, expected to be operational by July. This initiative aims to streamline the process of providing critical treatment to individuals in crisis.

Overall, the meeting underscored the ongoing efforts of San Francisco County to improve mental health and addiction services, with a commitment to addressing the needs of vulnerable populations through innovative and responsive care strategies.