Mayor Edwin M. Lee today launched the Homeless Emergency Assessment & Response Team (HEART), a partnership between the San Francisco Fire Department and the Department of Public Health that dedicates emergency and public health experts to respond to 911 calls from people in the community who rely on the emergency response system for their non-emergency medical, social and psychological needs. The new City program provides specialized support and case management in the field to frequent users of the 911 system. 

“San Francisco is known for providing world class health services to people in need and the new HEART program will help us make sure residents get connected with the care they need and deserve,” said Mayor Lee. “This is a smart deployment of emergency services and with our Fire Department and Public Health professionals working side by side, we expect to see a better, coordinated response on our streets and better results for people who need our help.”