San Francisco Is Quietly Removing 911 Peer Responders
Paramedic Isaac James (left) and counselor Chantel Hernandez-Coleman, members of the Street Overdose Response Team, speak with two people sitting on the street in the South of Market neighborhood in San Francisco on Sept. 3, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)
This episode contains mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988.
Starting August 14, San Francisco will remove peer specialists from its 911 response. These peer responders, equipped with both training and personal experience with issues like homelessness and addiction, say the decision is a regressive step in the city’s approach to mental and behavioral health emergencies.
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Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.