SF getting drugs, alcohol to quarantined homeless?
Devon Link
Despite viral misinformation claiming otherwise, the pandemic has struck America’s homeless population hard. On May 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in a sample of 1,192 shelter residents from Seattle, Boston, San Francisco and Atlanta 25% tested positive.
On April 10, San Francisco Department of Emergency Management reported the first major COVID-19 outbreak at a homeless shelter with nearly 100 guests and several staff testing positive.
To combat the spread of the virus California Gov. Gavin Newsom launched “Project Room Key,” availing thousands of vacant hotel rooms for homeless residents to isolate and quarantine.
On May 12 in San Francisco, there were about 1,200 people using this emergency housing and 200 of those people were “COVID-POSITIVE/PUI Homeless & Marginally Housed.”
San Francisco’s decision to provide those residents with tobacco and alcohol has sparked online controversy.
Homelessness and drug addiction advocate Thomas Wolf was quick to criticize the policy on Twitter.
“I just found out that homeless placed in hotels in SF are being delivered Alcohol, Weed and Methadone because they identified as an addict/alcoholic for FREE,” Wolf tweeted on May 1. “This is enabling and is wrong on many levels,” he also wrote online.
On May 8, conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA posted a meme to Facebook alleging the policy misused tax revenue. “San Francisco is providing drugs and alcohol at taxpayer’s expense to the homeless in hotels” the meme states. “… thanks leftists!”
San Francisco is providing some guests of “Project Room Key” with alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs, but Turning Point incorrectlysaid it’s on the taxpayer’s dime.
Substances are paid for by private donations and individuals
“Alcohol and tobacco have been paid for with private donations” San Francisco Department of Public Health Behavior Health Communications Specialist Jenna Lane told USA TODAY.
Guests in isolation and quarantine have also been able to access their prescribed medications using their usual payment method. SFDPH facilitates medication delivery for guests receiving medication-assisted treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.
“In a few cases, DPH staff have helped patients buy their own medical cannabis,” SFDPH wrote in their Statement on Alcohol, Tobacco and Cannabis in COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Sites. “DPH staff do not facilitate purchases of recreational cannabis.”
Medical cannabis and adult-use recreational cannabis are legal under California law.
San Francisco provides substances to maintain isolation
SFDPH called the policy an “evidence-based harm reduction strategy” meant to prevent guests from leaving quarantine to seek out substances.
“Managed alcohol and tobacco use makes it possible to increase the number of guests who stay in isolation and quarantine and, notably, protects the health of people who might otherwise need hospital care for life-threatening alcohol withdrawal,” SFDPH wrote.
SFDPH Director Dr. Grant Colfax addressed the controversial policy during a May 6 news conference.
“Our philosophy, in terms of treating people who suffer from addiction substance use disorders, is really again focused on science and the medical literature which shows that a harm reduction approach which includes the continuum, from supporting abstinence and recovery to helping people who continue to use to reduce their harms,” Colfax said.
SFDPH screens guests upon entry
Upon entry into quarantine sites, guests are screened for addiction to different substances and their desire to reduce use or quit. After assessing guests’ addictive behaviors, Lane said physicians determine the minimum amount required to maintain comfort.
“About 10% of isolation and quarantine guests use tobacco (approximately 25 people), and 11 guests have needed to receive alcohol with meals in order to maintain isolation and quarantine,” Lane told USA TODAY.
SFDPH only allows minimum doses and keeps medical staff available to ensure substances are not misused.
Staff who do not feel comfortable administering substances are not compelled to do so.
Isolation and quarantine sites also offer addiction treatment
Among the staff, SFDPH employs behavioral health support to help guests manage their sobriety and stress during their stay at the sites.
“Many isolation and quarantine guests tell us they use substances daily, and this period in our care has allowed some people to connect for the first time with addiction treatment and harm reduction therapy,” SFDPH wrote.
SFDPH notes some guests have restarted prescription medications that help control and stop their addictions.
SFDPH reminded Wolf on Twitter that addiction management programs like this are common. “These practices, which are not unique to San Francisco, help guests successfully complete isolation and quarantine and have significant individual and public health benefits in the COVID-19 pandemic,” SFDPH wrote in its statement.
Government drug treatment programs have provided people with addictions with substances to prevent withdrawal, such as methadone, for many years.
Our ruling: Partly false
We rate the claim that San Francisco is providing homeless residents with drugs and alcohol at the taxpayer’s expense PARTLY FALSE because some of it was not supported by our research. It is true that the San Francisco Department of Public Health is providing homeless residents at quarantine and isolation sites with tobacco, alcohol and prescription medications. But it is false to claim those items are funded by taxpayers; they are paid for by private donations.