And you need to hear the community, not just the powerful speakers. Thank you very much, next speaker please. Greetings, supervisors, david elliot lewis. I am a cochair of the Mental Health board of San Francisco and i was also appointed to the mayors care Advisory Task force. Interestingly, both groups, both the commission and the task force, could not agree on lauras law. It was very devicible for both groups. Its been very devicible for my own community. Im a consumer as well. Its been like a fault line in the recovery community, dividing people. Supervisor campos, i want to thank you for your amendments. I think they actually improve the law as is stated. However, i would state what you are supporting is still ultimately a coercive process. Well, no one is going to be necessarily thrown in jail for not taking their medications. You are talking about appointing an Oversight Group that will basically pressure somebody to receive treatment under the threat if you dont receive treatmen
Protect our duties from fire and other emergencies but our duties also require us to respond to the medical needs of others, both homeless and other individuals. For some of these individuals when our ambulances assist them, it is not the first time. We see them day in and day out. We get to know them by their first name, we see what street corners they hang out on and too many times watch them slowly decline in health and selfrespect. Its almost as if you are watching them commit suicide slowly because they cant get into a facility that can help them out. This cycle that i speak of is not only a detriment to the resources of the department but more importantly a detriment to the individuals we are watching slowly fall into greater and grader disrepair. Our Union Supports the implementation of lauras law because these Services Free up the resources of the Fire Department but also will help provide a Community Based individualized treatment that is needed by these individuals and Mental