NO. 157 PUBLISHED BY THE CENTRAL CITY Leno’s bill a SAN FRANCISCO STUDY CENTER July shot in arm 2 015 to key niche of health care SUNDAY STREETS Would certify peer IS BACK san francisco support staff, shift Fun-filled day out in fresh air service cost to feds PAGE 2 TENDERLOIN BY M ARK HEDIN MEASURE working its way through the Legislature promises to revolu- A tionize behavioral health care ser- vices in California by professionalizing the growing client-driven workforce. San Francisco state Sen. Mark Leno’s Peer and Family Support Specialist Certi- fication ProgramA ct, introduced in Febru- ary, cleared the Senate 40-0 in late May and is now in the Assembly, where it will be tak- en up by the Health Committee on July 14. SB614 would set statewide standards for training, certification and regulation of peer support services, and require Me- di-Cal to reimburse counties from half to all of the costs of those services, according to Le- no’s office, which said it “People know is amending the Assembly version of the bill “to re- that it (peer flect that much work has support) works ... already been done here in California.” and it’s going to Peer support is the fastest-growing route to JAZZ grow.” recovery in mental health and substance abuse ser- TEMPLE Sally Zinman vices. S.F.’s Department CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION of Behavioral Health Ser- HISTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH PEER-RUN vices employs several ORGANIZATIONS hundred peer specialists Recalling heyday and wants to add more. At least 6,000 people do peer support of The Blackhawk work in California, and training programs PAGE 4 PHOTO: MARJORIE BEGGS exist, for instance, at City College of San Francisco, which offers a 16-unit Commu- Two weeks before the Tenderloin Museum opens, it’s still shrouded in a plywood parade. nity Mental Health Worker Certificate pro- The museum’s contents weren’t available at press time, but The Blackhawk surely has a spot. gram, but “every county does it differently,” In a nod to enriching the knowledge of the neighborhood and to complement the museum’s Sally Zinman of the California Association opening, The Extra features a jazz expert’s appreciation of the club’s legacy on Pages 4-6. of Mental Health Peer-Run Organizations told The Extra. “There’s no standard cur- riculum.” However, more than 30 states and the Department of Veterans Affairs have estab- lished curricula and certification proto- Our own museum cols for peer provider services, the text of SB614 notes. brainchild to life, following the hood’s history The importance of peers in the recov- Highlights from from 1906 to “almost the present,” he says. ery from addiction and mental illness is Exhibition centerpieces, he says, will in- explained by Leno in a statement to The clude recordings of music performed at The Extra: Blackhawk Jazz Club, at Turk and Hyde, where hood’s rich past Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Dave “Peer providers utilize their lived ex- perience to help others. So their support Brubeck, Thelonious Monk and others played for people who have mental illness or finally get venue 14 years — 1949 to 1963. The club gave these substance abuse disorders is significant. musical giants endless creative opportunities Studies show that peer specialists help im- BY M ARJORIE BEGGS and hugely affected the global perception of NONPROFITS jazz. prove an individual’s overall recovery and ANDY SHAW, Tenderloin Housing Clinic wellness, shorten hospital stays, alleviate A historic pinball machine has pride of TARGET executive director, had a dream eight place, and recordings done at Wally Heider Stu- depression and reach underserved popu- years ago: a museum to highlight the lations. A statewide certification program R dios on Hyde Street in the 1970s feature the WALMART neighborhood’s cool past, its jazz legends, Grateful Dead, Santana and Crosby, Stills, Nash will only enhance these services and im- LGBT pioneers, film exchanges, rock recording prove the quality of care standards for Cali- & Young. Complaint to IRS studios, waves of immigrants, tea dances and “We’ll also have a big retail presence with fornians who live with mental illness.” much more. “People know that it works,” Zinman Tenderloin-branded items for sale,” Shaw says, about foundation “We need to preserve our past. Our histo- “T-shirts, posters and more, all done in a dis- said. “It’s happening and it’s going to grow.” PAGE 7 ry is amazing,” he mused in 2007 at a Tender- With the advent of the Affordable Care tinctive design.” loin Futures Collaborative meeting where he As a nice fit with the Tenderloin’s past, the Act, there are about 12 million Californians introduced his idea to the community. “It’ll be newly enrolled in Medi-Cal. About a quar- museum will be both a daytime gallery and a a place with photos, artifacts, maybe oral histo- destination for evening events. The first, 7 p.m. ter of them may require mental health ser- ries on tape.” vices, Leno’s office estimates. opening day, celebrates the legacy of trans- The reaction was pleased nods tempered gender activism in the ’Loin with video clips A February report by the California with the knowledge that change comes to the Mental Health Planning Council titled and sound from “Screaming Queens,” the 2005 Tenderloin slowly. documentary about transgender women and “Peer Certification: What Are We Waiting Fast forward. The Tenderloin Museum For?” dubbed peer specialists “the Sher- drag queens who fought police harassment at opens July 16 on the ground floor of the land- Compton’s Cafeteria at Turk and Taylor in 1966, pas of the mental health care world” and mark Cadillac Hotel, 398 Eddy St. Following an said Leno’s legislation fills an urgent need called “ground zero for drugs and violence” by invitation-only ceremony, the public’s invited the Tenderloin police just two years ago. because there are likely to be workforce at 2 p.m. to see how Shaw has brought his ➤ ONTINUED ON PAGE ➤ C ONTINUED ON PAGE 3 C 3 SUNDAY STREETS Busy day with fun, music, creativity, helpful stuff SVEN EBERLEIN, 2013 Gigantic, undulating bubbles were among the offerings at Tenderloin Sunday Streets in 2013. At the family fun event BY M ARJORIE BEGGS this year you can get your bike repaired, or help with more serious stuff from all the groups telling about their services. ENDERLOIN Sunday Streets, July down Jones to Golden Gate and back change it for one that fits. a string band playing bluegrass, alt- 12, will be ubiquitous fun, none to Larkin, and from Fulton outside the At Boeddeker Park, picnic in the grass and punk-grass; social justice sing- T more than a new event activity Main Library up Larkin back to Ellis. grass, then shake a leg — and more er-songwriter Brian Belknap; folk band at Golden Gate and Jones: Amos Greg- Sans cars, walking and bicycle-rid- — with zumba lessons and basketball. Alzara & Brother Spellbinder; and alter- ory, founder of the S.F. Veterans Mural ing lose their frightfulness and become Glide will host dancing and games native folk rock trio Rin Tin Tiger. Project, will be designing a mural at the safest of activities in the TL. New (giant legos!), and arts groups will be Be sure to stop by the Main Library that corner, and everyone’s invited to bike rider in the family? SF Bicycle there with interactive projects. to interact with the Monterey Bay grab a brush and help bring it to life. Coalition will be there teaching kids Community groups — Tenants Aquarium’s Bait Ball Touchscreen — us- Like a Tibetan sand painting, it’s to ride, a staple of Sunday Streets. This Union, TNDC, St. Anthony’s, Young ers, one at a time, touch a big screen temporary, washed off at the end of the year, both the Yellow Bike Project and Workers United, Tenderloin Housing where massed “sardines” move and day, but a joy for all in the doing. Bay Area BikeMobile will be making on- Clinic, Wu Yee Children’s Services, TL pulse rhythmically to the sound of clas- Practicality and pleasure mix at the the-spot minor bike repairs. Boys & Girls Club, YMCA and more — sical, rock, hip hop, jazz or country mu- annual event, which runs 11 a.m. to 4 Another great opportunity: Yellow will have staff to explain their offerings. sic. A digital postcard of the creation, p.m. along a route stretching from the Bike’s kid’s bike swap. Bring in your Music will be everywhere: Among sent via email, gives the user a memen- corner of Ellis at Larkin to Ellis at Jones, kid’s outgrown two-wheeler and ex- the local bands: The Beauty Operators, to of the activity. Quick &Easy Fix leaky toilet parts. It’s a DROUGHT. California remains in a drought and water use restrictions are in effect. San Franciscans are being asked to reduce water use by 10%. Renters and property owners alike can help protect our water supplies by taking these simple actions: • Repair or report plumbing leaks • Shorten showers • Reduce landscape irrigation • Sweep don’t spray outdoors • Equip hoses with shutoff nozzles • Upgrade toilets and clothes washers Learn techniques to maintain beautiful water-wise gardens, even in a drought. Free gardening workshops kickoff in July. Pre-register atsfwater.org/landscape For details, water conservation tips, and free services: sfwater.org/DROUGHT or call (415) 551-4730 2 CENTRAL CITY EXTRA / JULY 2015 $3.5 million museum scrambles to open on time ➤ C ONTINUED F RO M PAGE 1 2009, with $35,000 from the Fifth Age of square feet in the basement and ground more than half its crowdfunding goal.