Economic Collapse Report San Francisco has pulled the plug on a program that handed out free beer, wine, and vodka to homeless people battling alcohol addiction, a move that comes after years of burning through $5 million in public funds annually.
The Managed Alcohol Program, or MAP, served just 55 clients over its nearly six-year run, racking up costs equivalent to about $454,000 per person. Mayor Daniel Lurie, who stepped into office last year, made the call to terminate all city contracts tied to the initiative.
The program kicked off in April 2020 as city officials scrambled to handle the fallout from COVID-19 lockdowns. With bars and liquor stores shuttered, the idea was to dole out controlled doses of alcohol to prevent severe withdrawal symptoms among the homeless population. Nurses administered the drinks—typically a few shots or beers a day—in converted hotel rooms turned into shelters. City health officials claimed it cut down on emergency room visits and police calls, pointing to one participant whose ER trips dropped from 36 a year to under 10.
But the setup drew fire from the start. Recovery advocate Tom Wolf, who pulled himself out of homelessness and addiction, called it a blatant misuse of resources.
…
Read Full Article Here…(economiccollapse.report)
Home | Caravan to Midnight (zutalk.com)
Live Stream + Chat (zutalk.com)
Be First to Comment