San Francisco, CA —Mayor London N. Breed today announced that 14 new beds are now operational at Hummingbird Place, a Navigation Center specifically tailored to serve clients with behavioral health and substance use issues.

Hummingbird Place can now serve up to 29 overnight clients at a time, in addition to daytime clients. As a result of the recent Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) windfall appropriation, Mayor Breed now expects to be able to open an additional 86 new substance use and behavioral health stabilization beds, bringing the total to 100 new beds this year.

“For those who are severely ill on our streets, these beds serve as a chance to stabilize and decide on their next steps, including treatment,” said Mayor Breed. “Helping people suffering from severe mental illness and addiction is not only good for those individuals, it is good for the City. We can’t allow these people to continue cycling between the emergency room and the criminal justice system.”

Hummingbird Place works closely with adults facing homelessness, mental health and substance use challenges and introduces clients to a multi-disciplinary system of care. In October, Mayor Breed announced the expansion at Hummingbird Place and directed the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) to expedite and expand a plan to add mental health beds at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

“We are delighted to expand Hummingbird Place, which is helping the City’s most vulnerable residents break out of the cycle of alternating from the streets, to jail to hospitalization,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco Director of Public Health. “Hummingbird Place provides a safe environment for clients to pause, away from the stresses of life on the street and get linked to supportive services to improve their living situation, health and wellbeing.”

Mayor Breed supported funding in the budget to expand Hummingbird Place, which is located on the campus of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. The 24-hour facility is managed by PRC, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that helps people affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use or mental health issues better realize the opportunities available to them by providing integrated legal, social and health services that address the broad range of social risk factors that impact wellness and limit potential.

“Hummingbird Place offers a critical, short-term overnight model that facilitates patient stabilization, provides linkage to social services and offers clients an opportunity for referral to longer-term treatment and recovery,” said Brett Andrews, CEO of PRC. “The work we’re doing makes a real, tangible impact across San Francisco to help end homelessness and provide other vital services to these local residents.”