San Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder, shown last October, is navigating a “mental health condition,” her office says.
Lea Suzuki/S.F. Chronicle
San Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder has no immediate plans to resign from office as she navigates “a mental health condition” that led to her hospitalization late last week.
Fielder, who has represented the Mission, Bernal Heights and the Portola on the Board of Supervisors, will make a decision about her next steps after she recovers, according to a Sunday statement her office shared on social media.
“Supervisor Jackie Fielder is currently navigating a mental health condition and needs time and space to recover before making any major decisions,” read the statement signed by three of her aides. “She … has stated that she wants to regain stable health so she can thoughtfully and responsibly consider her options.”
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The statement said Fielder will take a medical leave and that her staff will run the office in her absence. The statement provided few details about her condition and asked that people respect her privacy as she continues to recover.
“On matters of her personal health, we respectfully ask the press to give her the privacy and space necessary for healing, and not to report on unsubstantiated rumors,” Fielder’s aides said in the statement. “We urge everyone to treat this situation with the same respect and sensitivity as they would if she were recovering from any other medical emergency.”
Jackie Fielder campaigns for the District 9 seat in September 2024.
Gabrielle Lurie/S.F. Chronicle
Supervisors will be on spring recess for the upcoming week and the full board will not reconvene until April 7. Fielder has already missed two weeks of board and committee meetings after telling the board clerk she would be absent without citing a reason.
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On Friday, Fielder had told Mission Local that she was unwell and planned to announce her resignation. Her office said in a statement then that she had suffered an “acute personal health crisis;” it was not clear until Sunday that it was related to mental health.
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Should she decide to leave office, Mayor Daniel Lurie would select someone to fill the spot until an election could be held, likely in November. Fielder has been the sole democratic socialist on the board and a steadfast advocate for progressive causes, often voting against Lurie’s legislative agenda and the board’s moderate majority bloc.
The statement from Fielder’s aides also included supportive comments from five other supervisors: Connie Chan, Shamann Walton, Myrna Melgar, Chyanne Chen and Bilal Mahmood. Fielder’s predecessor, Hillary Ronen, also shared a message of support, as did a few other allies.
“We know and trust that Supervisor Jackie Fielder and the District 9 Team will prioritize Supervisor Fielder’s health and recovery and continue to serve the District 9 communities,” Chan said in her statement. “We will support Supervisor Fielder and her team during this time to make decisions that are in the best interest of Supervisor Fielder’s health and the people she represents.”
Walton said his office would help Fielder’s aides “in any way necessary to ensure continuity of service for District 9 residents.” And Melgar noted that a former supervisor, Michela Alioto-Pier, was “out for 3 months, and we were able to facilitate the representation of that district while she was out and her staff kept working.”
“I have full confidence that the District 9 staff can and will do that as well,” Melgar said.
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Jackie Fielder speaks to supporters on election night in November 2020 after she lost to Scott Wiener for a seat in the California Senate.
Jana Asenbrennerova/For the S.F. Chronicle
Another supervisor, Matt Dorsey, told the Chronicle in a text message that he’s glad Fielder is “taking the time she needs.”
“I’m proud of Jackie for the courage she is demonstrating, and I hope she knows we are all rooting for her,” Dorsey said.
Supervisors Danny Sauter and Alan Wong also wished Fielder the best in statements of their own Sunday evening.
“Politics is intense, spirited, and often unforgiving,” Sauter said. “But we should never forget that real humans are behind this work.”
The possibility that she would step away from the office had previously worried some of her progressive allies, though they also said she should prioritize her recovery.
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“We applaud Supervisor Fielder for emphasizing the importance of self-care and resilience, and for directing us to openly share today that prioritizing and talking about mental health truly matters,” the statement on Sunday from Fielder’s aides said. “She continues to demonstrate courage and leadership by speaking openly about her health and taking meaningful steps towards healing and recovery.”
Aldo Toledo contributed to this report.