Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act into law Sept. 14, creating California’s first court-mandated mental health and substance abuse treatment program for those with severe mental illness or drug addiction.
“With folks that are struggling with [being on the] schizophrenia spectrum, with psychosis disorders, they need help, they need intervention,” Newsom said during a Sept. 16 press conference. “Sometimes that’s tough. [The CARE Court program] is a balanced approach to refer [patients], to evaluate [their conditions], to create a care plan [and] due process, and to ultimately enjoy success.”
Senate Bill 1338, authored by Sens. Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) and Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton), received bipartisan support from state legislators at the end of August before it was sent to the governor’s desk….