Elected officials in San Diego County, alongside state leaders, welcomed the first cohort of counties who will launch the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act to provide mental health and substance use disorder services to the most vulnerable.
The legislation, authored by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) and Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) and sponsored by Governor Newsom, will use local courts to help provide treatment and housing to those who are struggling with their mental health and are on the streets.
California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) along with the Department of Health Care Services and the Judicial Council of California hosted a virtual meeting on Dec.1 to convene the first cohort of Counties to implement the CARE Act. The first cohort of counties includes Glenn, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and the City and County of San Francisco which are working on launching the CARE Act by October 2023
“We are committed to developing a process that is person-centered and addresses the needs of those we are serving, instead of the bureaucratic structures of government,” CalHHS Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said in a news release.“We will continue to work collaboratively, with a focus on equity, to support the successful implementation of the CARE Act. The hard work of implementation begins now, and I look forward to rolling up our sleeves with you to continue to build on our partnership as we work together to deliver on the promises at the heart of the CARE Act.”
CARE court provides individuals with community-based and court-ordered Care plans consisting of culturally and linguistically competent county mental health and substance use disorder treatment services, according to Newsom's office. Plans can range between 12-24 months and people enrolled in the program can receive short-term stabilization medications, wellness and recovery supports, social services, and housing.
​​According to Newsom’s office, the convening of the counties marked an important step in the successful implementation of the CARE Act and ensuring the delivery of a responsive set of services and supports for the individuals served.
“CARE Court means new hope for thousands of Californians with untreated mental health and substance abuse issues,” Newsom said in a news release. “While we watch other places in America move swiftly towards more involuntary hospitalization, in California, we’re doing it the right way – community-based care, a focus on housing, and accountability for everyone involved.”
The program is not exclusively for homeless people. It applies to people who have a severe mental illness and only if they are unlikely to survive safely in the community without supervision, or are a harm to themselves or others.
Individuals struggling with alcohol or opioid addiction will not qualify unless they have a diagnosed psychiatric disorder. The Newsom Administration estimates the program can help 7,000 to 12,000 people per year.
CalHHS will establish a CARE Act Working Group in early 2023 to continue its ongoing engagement with representatives from a wide variety of networks, including peers, disability rights organizations, families, racial equity advocates, housing and homelessness stakeholders, behavioral health providers, associations, and more.
Visit California’s Health and Human Services Agency webpage for more information about CARE Act.
