San Francisco Department of Public Health secures $249K for Serious Illness Care Program

The San Francisco County government meeting held on July 4, 2025, focused on several resolutions aimed at enhancing public health services through grant funding. The meeting began with a resolution to retroactively authorize the Department of Public Health to accept and expand a grant of approximately $249,000 from the Stopsky Foundation. This funding is designated for the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Serious Illness Care Program, which aims to improve access to palliative care for patients with serious illnesses and support their caregivers. The program will initially target cancer patients in their last year of life, with plans to expand to other diagnoses in the future.

Sumant Ranji, Chief of the Division of Hospital Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, presented the program's objectives, emphasizing the importance of timely discussions about care preferences and the development of partnerships with community resources. The committee approved amendments to the resolution, including changes to the wording and structure, before forwarding it to the full board with a positive recommendation.

The meeting continued with a second resolution authorizing the acceptance of a $125,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control. This funding will support a multi-sector action plan addressing social determinants of health, particularly focusing on food security and community clinical linkages for the Black and African American communities in San Francisco. Paula Jones, Director of Food Security for the Department of Public Health, outlined the plan's goals to improve health disparities related to cardiovascular disease and nutrition. The committee also approved amendments to this resolution before sending it to the full board.

Lastly, a resolution was presented to authorize a $135,000 grant from the Alliance for Safety and Justice for the Trauma Recovery Center National Learning Collaborative. Stacy Wiggle, Director of the Trauma Recovery Center Technical Assistance Program, highlighted the program's success in providing comprehensive support for victims of violent crime, particularly from underserved communities. This grant will help replicate the trauma recovery center model across California and provide training for existing programs.

The meeting concluded with all resolutions receiving positive recommendations to be forwarded to the full board for further consideration. The discussions underscored the county's commitment to addressing critical health issues and improving services for vulnerable populations.