Who: SF Supervisors Dufty, Sandoval, McGoldrick & Daly • State Sen. Carole Migden •  SEIU 1021 President Damita Davis-Howard • Public Health Nurses & Health Care Professionals • Harvey Milk Club • Senior Action Network

When: Tuesday, Feb. 19 •  12 noon

Where: City Hall Steps • San Francisco  

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Viewed as a beacon of health care reform as recently as a year ago, San Francisco's public health institutions are in the middle of the most drastic implosion since the dotcom bubble burst.

The city has gutted its health care efforts by $18 million in mid-year cuts, from nurses and operating rooms to surgery clinics. The city is also shuttering its Workers Comp Clinic, which specializes in treating workers injured on the job, and is eliminating the directors of 6 community mental health clinics. Still threatened are major cuts at Laguna Honda Hospital and Health at Home.

"After years of rubber stamping detrimental cuts to the health budget, it is time for the Health Commission to stand up and draw the line by refusing to approve this level of harm to the safety net services for San Franciscans." warned Registered Nurse Mary Magee.

Elected officials, labor leaders, health care professionals and community advocates are converging on City Hall this Tuesday in what some call "a desparate effort to stop the bleeding."

"This is nothing short of an all-out assault on our most vulnerable patients," said Medical Social Worker Ed Kinchley. "This would be shocking to see in Mississippi, let alone San Francisco."