About $2 Million Restored to San Francisco Public Health Department
About $2 million of $20 million in proposed cuts to the San Francisco Department of Public Health budget has been restored, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The restored funds partly will be used to provide dental services to low-income adults, but cuts are likely for acupuncture, drug treatment, mental health care for seniors and interpreter services at San Francisco General Hospital. At a city Board of Supervisors public hearing on Tuesday addressing the public health funding cuts, Budget Committee Chair Chris Daly said, "[W]e're going to do our best to stop the worst cuts" but added that because of the city's $347 million budget deficit, "[T]here have been drastic measures taken" (Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/13). The board criticized Mayor Willie Brown's (D) budget cuts earlier this month, specifically questioning his plan to cut funding for mental health residential treatment services, daytime treatment centers and other health services (California Healthline, 6/3). Another public hearing to discuss the proposed budget will be held at City Hall on June 25 (San Francisco Chronicle, 6/13).
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