Editorial: The Jonathan Vernick Team Still Controls the Department of Public Health in San Francisco

Jonathan Vernick and his team of enablers continue to control the Department of Public Health (DPH) in San Francisco. In his latest iteration, his team is having 41 permanent treatment beds closed for mental health patients at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH). Then he is transferring the funds saved to his own group, PRC (formerly Positive Resource Center) for two-week respite services at SFGH for psych patients.


Last week dozens of protestors gathered at SFGH to demand that the 41 beds remain open to those with various mental health challenges. Under the proposed plan, the patients will be transferred the Hummingbird center for two-week stays. After this period, one assumes they will roam the streets of San Francisco causing distress to all who come in contact with them. Please see last Sunday’s San Francisco Examiner’s article, “Cuts to mental health beds prompt protest,” by Laura Waxmann and
See: Protestors Rally Against City Plan to Close Mental Health Beds .

Analysis: There are several problems here: First why is 120 Page Street, historically known as West Side Lodge, not being used as it had been from about 1980 to 2005: Accepting psych patients from SFGH for 90-day periods before they are referred to other resources? This would cost the taxpayers of San Francisco nothing as the building, worth an estimated value of $3.4 million, was donated to Baker Places, Inc. Then medical and/or medicare would be billed for the services they received. Instead, the taxpayers are paying millions of dollars to house patients for two-week stays. This appears to be theft of public funds.

The second problem is it appears as though the Vernick team is going to sell the building at 120 Page Street. While the building was emptied as of April 4, 2019 as the Baker Places new building is at 170 9^th Street, and accepted clients from SFGH psych ward for a few weeks, it now appears that 120 Page will be sold for $3.4 million. This appears to be theft of public funds.

Readers are invited to see my previous post on West Side Lodge: Good News: West Side Lodge Is Reborn!

A third problem concerns the dishonesty of Brett Andrews, the CEO of PRC. Please note that while to the media Mr. Andrews claims to be in charge of Baker Places, Inc. and PRC, insiders have informed me that, in fact, Jonathan Vernick is in complete charge. There are two disturbing issues of lying:
1) On PRC website there is a press release, issued by Jonathan Vernick on March 30, 2017, claiming that he was stepping down as the Executive Director of Baker Places, Inc. as of March 31, 2017. Please see: PDF] Jonathan Vernick Steps Down as Executive Director ... - San Fra
Mr. Andrews must know that this is a lie since both he and Vernick work in the same building, 170 9^th Street, and thus he would know Vernick has not retired or otherwise left.

Why would Mr. Andrews lie for Vernick? It impossible to say for sure, but one assumes that this has to do with their friendship for the past 20 years and the fact that Vernick has served as a mentor to Mr. Andrews. In my view, to be mentored by Vernick is to be guided by darkness. Please note that there have been several reports that both Vernick and Mr. Andrews have misused the funds from the Ryan White Act (this is to help those with HIV) as they recently received grants totaling over $3 million. This appears to be theft of public funds.

2) In his fortnightly column in the San Francisco Bay Times, “From the Frontlines,” Mr. Andrews now claims to have an MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from George Washington University. Yet, in the same paper, in the February 25-March 9, 2016 issue, Mr. Andrews claims to gone to college at Pennsylvania State University. It is my understanding that he has a degree in English.


Please see: Brett Andrews Exemplifies Compassionate Leadership - San ...

Also, please note that Vernick has claimed to have the same degree, a M.A. from George Washington University! While it is possible that they might have earned a degree via on-line, I am skeptical and thus would invite investigators to validate their claims.

Summary: It appears as though the Jonathan Vernick Team continues to be in complete control of DPH in San Francisco. Also, it appears as though the Director of Public Health, Dr. Grant Colfax, is doing what his predecessor, Barbara Garcia did: close down beds at SFGH psych ward and then shifting the funds to the Vernick team. This appears to be theft of public funds.

Note to Dr. Grant Colfax: I invite you to reverse your course with the closing down of psych beds at SFGH and what appears support of theft of public funds. Also, I invite you to see that 120 Page Street is used for its intended purpose—housing psych patients for 90-days—and not allow it to be sold for $3.4 million. Finally, I invite you to get rid of both Jonathan Vernick and Brett Andrews as they appear to be actively involved in the theft of tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer’s money. I wish to remind Dr. Colfax that his predecessor was forced to resign amid a corruption probe of her theft of a public funds.

Note to Readers: Please contact Dr. Colfax, the members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and Mayor London Breed’s office regarding the theft of public funds. Also, demand that both Jonathan Vernick and Brett Andrews be removed. I would recommend Masami Endo, a long-term case manager for Baker Places, Inc. who now works for PRC as the new director of the combined nonprofits.




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