Mayor Lurie Takes Major Step to Get Drug Users Off San Francisco Streets, Announces RESET Center

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today announced plans to launch a Rapid Enforcement, Support, Evaluation, and Triage (RESET) Center, a major step to get drugs and drug users off the streets. 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 be 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. Earlier in his administration, the mayor 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 more 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.  

“As long as I'm mayor, it will not be acceptable to deal drugs or do drugs on our streets,” said Mayor Lurie. “We are making a fundamental change to San Francisco's approach to the fentanyl crisis. Instead of cycling through jails and emergency rooms, those using drugs on our streets will have a chance to enter treatment and our law enforcement officers will get back on patrol more quickly. San Francisco's families deserve clean and safe streets and we're going to be relentless in delivering that.” 

The center is set to open this spring and will be located at 444 6th 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 approach. I’m convinced it will improve street conditions, diminish drug-driven lawlessness, and save lives.” 

“The RESET Center represents a tough-love approach that balances accountability with compassion,” said Sheriff Paul Miyamoto. “This is an alternative to jail or the emergency room—one that allows deputies and first responders to focus on higher-priority emergencies while ensuring people struggling with addiction receive individualized care from medical professionals, not a drunk tank. By easing the strain on our jails and hospitals, we’re creating a smarter, more effective public safety response. We have a responsibility to help people suffering from substance use disorder, but we also owe San Franciscans clean, safe neighborhoods where families can walk, work, and live with pride. RESET helps us do both.”  

Following a thorough vetting process conducted under the city’s fentanyl emergency contracting provisions, Connections Health Solutions has been selected to serve as the provider. Proposals to serve as the provider were evaluated based on clinical model strength, staffing capacity, experience with overdose and suicide risk, ability to manage both voluntary and involuntary referrals, operational scalability, site readiness, and responsiveness to San Francisco needs. 

“The RESET Center is key in getting people who use drugs in public off the streets, connecting them with care and treatment, and providing a compassionate and effective alternative to incarceration,” said Dan Tsai, DPH Director. “We thank the partnership with the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office to create a space for people to safely recuperate off the streets and out of jail, and to support connections to ongoing care and treatment for those experiencing mental health and substance issues.”