Health

San Francisco to launch pilot program to address fentanyl crisis

San Francisco Mayor London Breed at a press conference in 2022. Photo: Gabrielle Lurie/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

San Francisco's emergency management department announced Tuesday it would launch a pilot program to address "when someone is so far under the influence of drugs that they may pose a danger to themselves or others," The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Why it matters: San Francisco is amid a deadly drug overdose epidemic, primarily driven by the opioid fentanyl.

The push for non-police alternatives in response to homelessness

Unhoused people near City Hall in December 2022. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The Coalition on Homelessness, alongside other community groups, is pushing the city to create a new police-free response system to homelessness.

Why it matters: Proponents argue a community-led model to respond to homelessness would reduce the number of harsh and violent interactions between police and unhoused people.

Megan Rose Dickey
May 16, 2023 - News

The Mission gets more community ambassadors

The intersection at Mission and 24th streets. Photo: Megan Rose Dickey/Axios

San Francisco has brought more community ambassadors to the Mission in an attempt to address ongoing issues of homelessness, illegal vending and public safety issues.

Why it matters: The new ambassador program, which serves as an alternative to the police, aims to improve the conditions in the neighborhood and help residents feel safer, according to the mayor's office.

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