Today Mayor Edwin M. Lee, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu, Supervisors David Campos and Mark Farrell and California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) CEO Warren Browner joined together to announce their support for a new plan to rebuild California Pacific Medical Center’s healthcare facilities to ensure quality healthcare and earthquake safe hospitals for future generations of San Franciscans.

The new proposal calls for the building of two state-of-the-art, seismically safehospitals, one in the center of San Francisco’s Cathedral Hill at the corner of Van Ness and Geary streets and another in the Mission District, next to the existing St. Luke’s hospital. This far-reaching agreement was reached with the help of Lou Giraudo, owner of San Francisco’s Boudin Bakery, who, over the past few months, led a series of very frank and productive discussions between the Mayor’s Office, Supervisors Chiu, Campos and Farrell and CPMC executives. Read more.

Today Mayor Edwin M. Lee joined by Supervisors Scott Wiener, David Campos and Christina Olague announced the introduction at the Board of Supervisors a $1.8 million budget supplemental for HIV/AIDS care and treatment funding to protect essential services to the City’s most vulnerable despite severe budget shortfalls.

“Building upon the tremendous leadership of Leader Pelosi in Congress on the reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act, San Francisco will continue to sustain investments in HIV/AIDS care and treatment,” said Mayor Lee. “Despite continued historic budget challenges, we remain committed to funding critical care services for those living with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco.” Read more.

Mayoral Executive Directive & Legislation Close Health Reimbursement Account Loophole

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today issued a Mayoral Executive Directive that requires City departments to collect detailed data on companies that provide health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) and requires additional education and outreach to San Francisco workers to more effectively access available health care. Mayor Lee also signed Board legislation to close a loophole in San Francisco’s Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO). The dual action preserves the City’s groundbreaking universal health care access and protects jobs.

“We must ensure that workers have better access to health care today,” said Mayor Lee. “This Executive Directive, in tandem with recently passed legislation from the Board of Supervisors, immediately sets us on a path to improving health care access for San Francisco workers and protects local jobs. I applaud President Chiu, Supervisor Cohen, organized labor, small business owners, and the Department of Public Health for working together to strengthen our City’s landmark Health Care Security Ordinance and closing this loophole.”

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today issued the following statement on Parents Magazine’s ranking of San Francisco as the top healthiest city for families, receiving high marks in the categories of medical care, healthy schools, air & water, outdoor fun and family safety:

“Parents Magazine’s ranking of San Francisco as the nation’s most family-friendly city demonstrates that our commitment to the environment and healthy and sustainable living are helping to attract and keep families in our City.

City to Use Portion of Reserves to Reverse State Cuts to Childcare & Senior Health Services

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced his plan to provide funding for children and senior programs facing certain State budget cuts. Mayor Lee will use $1.9 million from the City’s Children’s Fund Reserve to offset reductions to childcare providers across the City, and $3.4 million from the City’s Reserve for State Budget Impacts to ensure that nonprofit Adult Day Health Centers in San Francisco do not close their doors on December 1, 2011 when their funding from the State is eliminated.  

“While we continue to face uncertainty regarding future State budget cuts, there comes a time to act – this is that time,” said Mayor Lee. “Last year, working together with community partners and the Board of Supervisors, we included reserve dollars in our budget that we could use to protect our most vulnerable residents. Now, with the pending State reductions to childcare providers and the elimination of funding for Adult Day Health Centers, we must take action to protect the social safety net for children and seniors.”