Recovery First Ordinance in SF Passes Unanimously After SFMMS Amendments April 25, 2025 Advocacy 0 This week, an ordinance sponsored by Supervisor Matt Dorsey passed unanimously out of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee after his collaborative work with the SFMMS to bridge the divide between those who believe substance abuse disorder treatment must rely on abstinence, and those that believe Harm Reduction is paramount. “Recovery is often a non-linear process of self-actualization where harm reduction efforts, abstinence, and treatment are not in opposition with one another or mutually exclusive,” said SFMMS President Jason Nau, MD. “If properly provided, they are all complementary components of optimal substance use disorder systems. What gets lost in this debate is that the biggest obstacle to recovery and remission facing San Franciscans with substance use disorder is the severe lack of facilities and staff necessary to provide robust behavioral health services, without which none of these strategies will be effective.” SFMMS Senior Director of Advocacy and Policy, Adam Francis, testified in support of the ordinance in committee, thanking Supervisor Dorsey for his flexibility on the language of the ordinance and his dedication to those suffering from addiction. Supervisor Dorsey said he is, "especially grateful to the San Francisco Marin Medical Society representing more than 3,000 physicians, medical students, residents, and fellows in all modes of practice and specialties in San Francisco and Marin counties for engaging with me as substantively as they did. This organization shared my conviction that recovery need not be an either/or proposition with respect to harm reduction. To the contrary, in fact, we must include all approaches to accommodate the multitude of pathways taken by those of us who face struggles with drug addiction, as I have, to work toward achieving sustained remission and recovery from substance use disorders. The Medical Society believes, as I do, that we can offer an aspirational North Star for policy in San Francisco that doesn't deposition or diminish other approaches, and to a debate that has quite frankly surprised me at times for the heat rather than light it has generated. The San Francisco Marin Medical Society brought a refreshingly enlightened approach, grounded in science and medical care, and focused on forging the consensus so necessary for the progress San Franciscans are demanding of us and that will be necessary in the months and years ahead as we tackle these problems. Late Tuesday night, I was grateful to receive a Support if Amended letter from Dr. Heyman Oo, who chairs the SFMMS Advocacy and Policy Committee. While I'll confess, there were a couple words I might have changed, there is no doubt to me that the Medical Society's amendments ably fulfill the intent of this legislation to align City policy with what any of us would wish for a loved one or family member struggling with drug addiction, a self-directed and healthy life, free from illicit drug use." SFMMS Senior Director of Advocacy and Policy Adam Francis spoke at the hearing, conveying that SFMMS did its best to "thread the needle with these amendments in terms of ensuring that there isn't a fight between harm reduction and abstinence. We need every tool in the tool belt to help people suffering from substance use disorder." He also stressed that, while an aspirational policy goal is important, no strategy will be effective unless San Francisco takes concrete steps to support and grow our behavior health facilities and our workforce. "We need to prevent overdoses. We need to prevent injury. We need to help people on their own individual journey and path, which is non-linear, to get to the optimal health that they can get to." Comments are closed.
