Mayor Lurie Signs Legislation to Advance the RESET Center and Combat Public Drug Use on San Francisco Streets

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today signed legislation to advance the Rapid Enforcement, Support, Evaluation, and Triage (RESET) Center, a major step to get drugs and drug users off the streets and connect people struggling to treatment. As part of Mayor Lurie’s Breaking the Cycle initiative, the RESET Center will provide an alternative to jail or hospitalization for individuals who are arrested under the influence of drugs—getting people in crisis off the street and law enforcement officers back on patrol more quickly. The center will be overseen by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, with support from the Department of Public Health (DPH), and run by Connections Health Solutions. It will provide a location for individuals using drugs to get stabilized and connected to treatment. 

The opening of the RESET Center builds on Mayor Lurie’s work to combat the fentanyl crisis and get drugs and drug users off of San Francisco’s streets. The mayor improved and expanded the city’s Journey Home program to help reconnect people with loved ones and announced legislation in partnership with Assemblymember Catherine Stefani to support recovery for people with serious mental illness. Earlier in his administration, Mayor Lurie delivered on a key piece of his Breaking the Cycle plan—opening a 24/7 police friendly crisis stabilization center at 822 Geary Street, which has shown greater success at connecting people in crisis to care. To further address the behavioral health and homelessness crisis, Mayor Lurie has launched three new recovery-focused interim housing programs, and is transforming the city’s response to the crisis—creating integrated neighborhood-based street outreach teams and introducing new policies to end the distribution of smoking supplies without connection to treatment.   

“For too long, San Franciscans have been told that we must choose between clean, safe neighborhoods and compassion for those struggling on our streets. The RESET Center allows our officers to arrest those using drugs in public at a speed and volume we have never seen before. And with this new resource, we will also give those suffering from addiction a real chance to choose recovery,” said Mayor Lurie. “This center is the next step in our Breaking the Cycle plan to fundamentally transform San Francisco’s response to addiction and homelessness. Thank you to Supervisor Dorsey, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Public Health for their support of this effort.” 

The legislation signed today authorizes the Sheriff’s Office to contract with ConnectionsCA, LLC to operate the center, which is set to open this spring at 444 Sixth Street next door to the Hall of Justice. Pilot operations will focus on public intoxication in neighborhoods South of Market. Individuals at the center will be transported by law enforcement after being placed under arrest for public intoxication. The center will provide onsite care in a monitored setting staffed by trained professionals. Once able to care for themselves, people will be eligible for release. 

“I consider the RESET pilot to be the single most important policy shift in San Francisco since the advent of the fentanyl crisis, and I applaud Mayor Lurie for implementing this much-needed change and for identifying a partner of Connections Health Solutions’ caliber to help operate it,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. “As a recovering addict myself, I know I’m not alone in the recovery community in believing that nothing San Francisco has done over the years to tolerate public drug use has helped anyone—not our neighborhoods, not our businesses, and, most of all, not anyone on the street struggling with a fentanyl addiction. The RESET pilot is exactly the right approach. I’m convinced it will improve street conditions, diminish drug-driven lawlessness, and save lives.” 

“RESET is a purposeful shift in how San Francisco responds to public drug use,” said Sheriff Paul Miyamoto. “It diverts individuals from jail and emergency rooms into structured care and support from health care professionals for individuals to sober up. This approach takes vulnerable people off the streets, strengthens accountability, supports the beginnings of recovery, and helps restore safe, livable neighborhoods for all San Franciscans.” 

“By offering a compassionate alternative to incarceration, the RESET Center is a vital part of our efforts to help people move from the streets and connect them into treatment and recovery,” said Dan Tsai, DPH Director of Health. “It strengthens our ability to provide a timely, effective intervention that allows individuals to recuperate safely while addressing their health needs more effectively in a setting that is not jail.” 

“During the HIV/AIDS epidemic, San Francisco pioneered a public health response that became the global standard, now known as the San Francisco model. We must do the same to address the fentanyl crisis,” said District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill. “The status quo is untenable. The RESET Center is a welcome, bold step needed to fundamentally strengthen our response to assist those in need.” 

Connections was selected to operate the RESET Center following a thorough vetting process conducted under the city’s fentanyl emergency contracting provisions. Proposals were evaluated based on clinical model strength, staffing capacity, experience managing overdose and suicide risk, ability to handle both voluntary and involuntary referrals, operational scalability, site readiness, and responsiveness to San Francisco’s needs.