The San Francisco, California-based Mental Health Association of San Francisco, a charitable organization focused on mental health education, advocacy, research, and services, has announced a significant reduction in force.
The reduction will affect 198 employees and is scheduled to take effect on September 15, 2025.
CEO Mark Salazar issued the following statement, as the 2025-26 state budget takes effect for California’s new fiscal year: “We appreciate lawmakers’ efforts to fully fund California’s warm lines. While the $4.2 million approved is significantly less than what is needed to keep up with growing demand, we are grateful for the continued state investment. This allows us to keep offering our services in some capacity. Though the impact on our ability to serve Californians is still unknown at this point, we are working to cut costs, including reductions in staff hours. We ask our callers to be patient, as it may take longer to reach a counselor. It’s unfortunate to have to make such moves after we had a record-breaking month in May that saw 41,378 contacts, but we are exploring other partnerships that will help us further our mission to advance mental health wellness for all.”
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?