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.
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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