The Department of Human Services serves almost 100,000 San Franciscans each year. The people we serve are those who suffer hardship or who have been unable to participate fully in the social and economic life of the community.

Our overriding goal is to help people become socially and economically linked to the resources most members of the community enjoy. We assist in many ways-with income assistance, other direct benefits, and supportive services; with employment preparation and placement services to facilitate economic self-sufficiency; with protective services to shield against abuse; and with family- and community-building services to help each individual reach their fullest potential within the context of family, community and society.

We are motivated by the recognition that each person we assist is an individual with warmth and dignity. The services we provide are theirs by human right. Each client is treated with absolute courtesy and compassion, and is empowered by being involved, to the greatest extent possible, in the decisions that will affect his or her life.

As the staff of DHS, we emphasize teamwork and a commitment to mutual respect and support of each other's dignity. The most important role in our agency is service to our clients, and all support and management functions are committed to assist staff to provide effective services.