LAGUNA HONDA: Tobacco Settlement Should Finance Facility, Says Roselli
Writing in today's San Francisco Chronicle, Sal Roselli, president of the Service Employees International Union Local 250, believes "that the city should use the tobacco settlement money to rebuild Laguna Honda at its current site." In addition, Roselli urges a simultaneous move "to increase home- and community-based long-term care services." Roselli quotes the city's director of public health, Dr. Mitchell Katz, who wrote: "Failing to provide for (those requiring care from Laguna Honda) could lead to unnecessary emergency room visits, unnecessary acute hospital stays, unnecessary prolonged hospital stays ... and an increased number of severely impaired persons living on the streets." Urging San Franciscans to "act now to rebuild Laguna Honda with at least 1,200 beds," Roselli concludes, "If we fail to do so, the federal government will continue eliminating beds at Laguna Honda" which has placed many residents in "peril" (1/14). Click here for previous coverage of Laguna Honda.
This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.