It does not take rocket science to put the two following items into perspective.  The juxtaposition of these two items, and their proximity in time, goes a long way toward explaining changes now underway at LHH.  It also portends that promises to rebuild LHH to serve the elderly and disabled will not be honored by City officials.

“Change Agents” Begin Dislocation Plans for the Transition to Replcement Facility

A second research grant at Laguna Honda was featured on the UCSF Center for Health Professions web site in Octobr 2005, acknowledging that LHH management is beginning to address the dislocation of residents and staff that will occur when the replacement facility opens in its new quarters.  It is no mistake that the favorite leadership quote on page two of this PDF file reads:

“ ‘The challenge of leadership has always been to provide coherence, structure and, ultimately, meaning in times of great change and dislocation.’ – Ed O’Neil”  [Emphasis added]

It is also no accident this article goes on to read:

“Ed O’Neil’s leadership challenge fits very well with LHH.  The new hospital will bring anbout great change and dislocation.” [Emphasis added]

Health Commissioners Request Plans to “Disband” Current LHH Programs and Services

During the October 24 meeting of the LHH Joint Conference Committee (a committee comprised of three Health Commissioners and the Executive Team of LHH), Health Commissioner Tarver requested that LHH Administration begin pulling together a list of “current LHH programs and services that could be ‘disbanded’ in order to open up beds in the new replacement facility that will be in great demand.”

Commissioner Tarver was referring to the “great demand” for beds to serve “hard to place” patients awaiting discharge from San Francisco General Hospital due to their “special needs” for facilities that will accept behaviorally disturbed dually- and triply-diagnosed patients.  What Commmissioner Tarver was requesting is a list of programs and services that can be eliminated from LHH’s current mission and service offering in order to create new, and additional, mental health programming at Laguna Honda, instead.

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Copyright (c) 2005 by Committee to Save LHH.  All rights reserved.  This work may not be reposted anywhere on the Web, or reprinted in any print media, without express written permission.  E-mail the Committee to Save LHH.