San Francisco health update: TB investigation at Riordan, RESET Center contract, and 2026 coverage shifts

San Francisco public health and health care leaders spent the past week balancing outbreak control, new approaches to substance-use response, and insurance affordability as 2026 coverage settles in.

Outbreak: TB testing and return to class at Archbishop Riordan

Students at Archbishop Riordan High School returned to in-person classes after weeks of remote and hybrid learning tied to a tuberculosis investigation, according to ABC7. City health officials have linked the outbreak to three confirmed active TB cases, plus three additional possible active cases, and report more than 200 latent TB infections in the school community.

Health officials have emphasized that latent TB is not contagious, but it matters because it can progress to active disease without follow-up. The school’s reopening followed large-scale testing and clearance steps coordinated with the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Healthcare: Sobering center contract ties payment to results

San Francisco is also moving ahead with the RESET Center, a 25-bed sobering site in the South of Market area designed as an alternative to booking people into jail for public intoxication. The San Francisco Chronicle reports the city approved a 26-month contract with Connections Health Solutions that uses a performance-based model.

Under the agreement, the operator’s payments can vary based on metrics such as officer drop-off time, staffing, and whether clients stay through the sobering process and leave with connections to services. The Chronicle also reported that the city attorney raised legal concerns about how the program fits state detention standards, even as supporters argue the pilot could improve accountability and reduce emergency-system strain. The center is expected to open in April.

Health insurance: Open enrollment ends with fewer new sign-ups

For people shopping for coverage, Covered California said the 2026 open-enrollment season closed with more than 1.9 million Californians renewing or selecting marketplace plans. The marketplace reported record renewals, but a notable drop in new plan selections compared with last year, which it attributed to the expiration of enhanced federal premium subsidies.

Covered California also reported higher cancellation rates among some renewing members who lost those federal credits, while state-funded subsidies helped cushion premiums for certain lower-income enrollees. The agency noted that a sizable share of marketplace members live in the Greater Bay Area.

Outbreak prevention: Vaccination compliance and SFUSD funding

In another health-linked development, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that California school districts have lost state attendance funding after audits found vaccination records out of compliance at some schools. The article said San Francisco Unified was among the districts penalized over the 2023 and 2024 school years, and described corrective steps such as tighter enrollment documentation and outreach to families.

What to watch

In the coming weeks, residents can expect more updates from city and school officials on TB follow-up at Riordan, implementation details and oversight for the RESET Center ahead of its planned opening, and the early-year impact of subsidy changes on marketplace coverage retention.

Sources

https://abc7news.com/post/riordan-high-school-students-return-classroom-tuberculosis-outbreak-2-weeks-remote-hybrid-learning/18642389/
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/sf-drug-sobering-center-will-get-paid-on-results-21361378.php
https://www.coveredca.com/newsroom/news-releases/2026/02/26/as-enhanced-federal-subsidies-expire-covered-california-ends-open-enrollment-with-state-subsidies-keeping-renewals-steady-for-now-and-new-signups-down/
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/california-schools-vaccine-funding-21946118.php