Who
- San Francisco Department of Public Health
- Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
What
The San Francisco Department of Public Health received $21 million in state Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) funding to repurpose the first and second floors of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital’s Behavioral Health Access Center (BHAC) — a change that will nearly double the number of locked mental health treatment beds in San Francisco.
Unlike other city facilities, the BHAC was built as a locked facility and already meets the infrastructure and licensing requirements for this level of care. Future upgrades made possible by the BHCIP funding will expand capacity in San Francisco for the most vulnerable patients and help the city better serve those who are conserved or stepping down from acute care, ensuring they receive treatment instead of spending time on the streets, in jail, or in the emergency department.
This complex project will require BHAC patients to be temporarily relocated to adult residential care facilities or residential care facilities for the elderly across the city. While these upgrades are being made, area hospitals may not refer patients being discharged to the BHAC.
Takeaway/Next Steps
Hospital Council is working with members to understand concerns and challenges that may arise during this process and will work with BHAC to ensure patient care is successfully delivered throughout the transition, which expected to begin immediately and continue into 2026.
Contact
RVP Michon Coleman at mcoleman@hospitalcouncil.org