The day of my state appeal hearing finally arrives on February 2nd, five months after my 4th suicide attempt in six years and placement in an acute residential treatment facility in October 2004. This is the judicial administrative process developed to handle grievances with the Community Mental Health Services of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. I know these circumstances are going to exacerbate my panic, sorrow and fear. The idea is to employ crisis management and damage control.

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On a rainy Tuesday, March 22, about 50 homeless people with supporters from the community gathered on the steps of City Hall to ask the Mayor about some numbers. Their question: “If there are fewer homeless people in San Francisco and the City is focusing its limited resources on ‘Housing First’, why has the number of citations issued for camping in the city’s parks nearly tripled over the past year?”

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