Are You Ready?! A Medical Respite and Sobering Center's Role in Emergency Response

In 2017 San Francisco experienced a variety of emergencies; large demonstrations, climate change emergencies, and infectious disease outbreak prevention efforts.  The San Francisco Medical Respite and Sobering Center’s expanded services that year meant it was suddenly poised as a fundamental player in the city's disaster preparedness and emergency response in particular for people experiencing homelessness.  This workshop will address how Medical Respite and Sobering programs can contribute to the care for people experiencing homelessness before, during, and after an emergency.