"Sources we talked to said it ended up being harder than expected to file petitions. Counties thought police, firefighters and other first responders would jump at the chance to file CARE Court petitions on behalf of the sick, unhoused Californians they encounter on the streets every day. But overworked first-responders didn't have time to navigate the time-consuming process, said Amber Irvine, San Diego County's behavioral health program coordinator."
"About 45% of petitions filed statewide, although that number includes the handful of cases in which someone has successfully "graduated" from the program. The rate is even higher in some counties, such as San Francisco, where nearly two-thirds of petitions are thrown out. That can be for a variety of reasons. Someone might not meet the narrow criteria to qualify for CARE Court."
"The initial allure of CARE Court for many supporters was the promise of court-ordered treatment plans that would encourage sick people to accept the help they'd been resisting. But most counties are eschewing that aspect of the program, and instead providing treatment only if outreach workers can convince someone to comply. Courts have ordered just 14 people into treatment plans, according to the Judicial Council."
Filing CARE Court petitions proved harder than expected because overworked police, firefighters and other first responders lack time to navigate the process. Some emergency personnel filed petitions early on, but many were dismissed and those dismissals discouraged further filings. About 45% of petitions statewide are dismissed, with nearly two-thirds dismissed in some counties such as San Francisco. Dismissals arise from narrow eligibility criteria, difficulty locating unhoused people, and refusals of services. CARE Court rarely enforces compliance. Most counties avoid court-ordered treatment and provide services only when outreach workers secure voluntary participation. Courts have ordered just 14 people into treatment plans.
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