San Francisco Mayor London Breed unveils program linking cash aid to treatment for substance use disorder
San Francisco, California – San Francisco has unveiled the Treatment Pathway Initiative, a comprehensive initiative meant to assist those suffering with drug use disorder, in what appears to be a major step in tackling the opioid epidemic. This project plays a major part of the city’s attempts to combine responsibility with help for its citizens in need of it.
Working with the San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA) and Westside Community Services, San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed launched the initiative scheduled for January 2025. This is in line with the voter-approved Proposition F, which requires involvement in a treatment program for anyone under the County Adult Assistance Programs (CAAP) requesting cash aid financed by the county.
“We fund a wide range of treatment and recovery services that are helping people every day, but it can be difficult to get everyone to accept the help they so badly need. The Treatment Pathway Initiative is a new tool that will get people to accept the treatment and services they need. The voters approved this new initiative and now we are putting it to work to make a difference in people’s lives and our city,” said Mayor London Breed in a news release.
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Under the new program, anybody thought to have a substance use disorder will have to participate in some kind of treatment to be eligible for CAAP payments. Particularly the homeless and low-income single adults who are among the most vulnerable, this condition seeks to guarantee that support reaches those most in need. At the moment, CAAP helps about 5,500 users, of which roughly 20% are unhoused people getting less financial help and benefits like guaranteed accommodation and meals.
“The goal of the Treatment Pathway Initiative has always been to get individuals who have a substance use disorder the help they need to move towards recovery,” said Trent Rhorer, SFHSA Executive Director. “This initiative is another tool in the City’s toolkit in assisting people to get the help they need and ultimately save their lives.”
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Westside Community Services is playing a pivotal role, particularly by employing individuals with lived recovery experiences to help clients see the possibilities of recovery.
“The new Treatment Pathway Initiative supports people with substance use disorder in crisis by meeting them where they are in their recovery journey and providing tangible support and essential resources to improve their lives. This initiative also highlights San Francisco’s commitment to enhancing its behavioral health care infrastructure, a crucial step towards serving the most vulnerable communities,” said Cedric Akbar, Westside Community Services Forensic Director.
The Treatment Pathway Initiative is part of a larger endeavor by Mayor Breed’s government to strengthen the behavioral health system of the city. This program not only gives people in need a lifeline but also makes individuals responsible for their rehabilitation process so that the help the city provides results in actual improvements in public safety and health.
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SFHSA has been aggressively interacting with community stakeholders, city departments, nonprofit providers, and people with personal experience in recovery to get ready for the rollout. This group effort highlights San Francisco’s commitment to solve public health issues and improve the quality of living for every one of its citizens.
