San Francisco Director of Public Health Dr. Grant Colfax Resigns

Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s Director of Public Health, is resigning.

Colfax led the department for six years under former Mayor London Breed. During his tenure, the city faced multiple colliding health crises: the COVID-19 pandemic, a near-shuttered public hospital and an unprecedented overdose crisis.

“Throughout my tenure, we produced results, increased accountability and improved health equity while driving change,” Colfax said in a statement. “From Covid-19 to Mpox, the fentanyl crisis, to hiring a record number of nurses and passing two infrastructure bonds, we have built a stronger department.”

His departure marks the second major department head to leave since Mayor Daniel Lurie was elected. Jeffrey Tumlin, who previously led San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency, announced he would not renew his contract after it expired in December.

Deputy Director Dr.  Naveena Bobba will serve as acting director. Colfax’s last day is Feb. 7.

Lurie has not announced who will replace Bobba or Tumlin’s interim replacement, Julie Kirschbaum, the agency’s director of transit.

“As Director of Health, Dr. Colfax contributed to saving the lives of San Franciscans during one of our city’s most challenging times. His dedication and work to the health and wellbeing of our city’s communities is remarkable,” Lurie said in a statement. “His leadership has enabled our recovery, and I thank him for his service to our city.”

Colfax, who started his medical career at San Francisco General Hospital, conducted HIV research for SFDPH earlier in his career and later served as an HIV/AIDS advisor for President Barack Obama.

San Francisco saw overdose rates soar in 2020 before peaking in 2023, as the city struggled to get housing and treatment for people struggling with substance use disorder. Since then, the city has expanded opioid disorder treatment options like buprenorphine, a medication that curbs opioid cravings and withdrawal.

In the last year, admissions to substance use residential treatment admissions have increased 35%, and both methadone starts and buprenorphine prescriptions are up 39% and 52%, respectively, in 2024 compared with 2023, according to the Department of Public Health.

More issues arose when San Francisco had to nearly close its largest public hospital, Laguna Honda, after on-site overdoses triggered inspections that the facility failed to pass. City leaders, including those in Washington, D.C., like Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, rallied alongside Colfax to get the hospital, which has since been recertified, back on track.

“Dr. Colfax is an extraordinary public health leader,” Pelosi said in a statement. “From our city’s COVID response, to saving Laguna Honda hospital, to expanding primary care and treatment for substance use disorders, Dr. Colfax has led with a data driven, community-centered focus that benefits all San Franciscans.”

Despite those efforts, San Franciscans continued to see tragedy in their streets stemming from the overdose epidemic, though there were roughly 20% fewer overdose deaths last year than in 2023.

In November, voters elected Lurie after he campaigned on a message to bring change and accountability to City Hall. Now in office, Lurie has started releasing plans for how the city can more quickly set up emergency shelters and behavioral health beds.

So far, that’s involved asking the Board of Supervisors to remove certain bureaucratic requirements to speed up city contracts and permitting, and to waive rules around accepting private donations for services directly responding to overdoses, drug dealing and homelessness.

“We have accomplished much in the past six years, and there is no doubt that the dedicated, hard-working and compassionate staff at DPH will continue to deliver for San Francisco,” Colfax said.