"That's how many Californians remember his CARE Court proposal: As a mandate to bring people with severe mental illness off the street and into treatment. Noncompliance, Newsom said at the time, would lead to consequences - counties could face fines for not providing court-ordered services, and participants who fail the program could be referred to conservatorship, which often means involuntary treatment in locked facilities."
"But a CalMatters review of the legislative record shows that vision is not what became law, and, as a result, the state has rarely mandated treatment of a mentally ill person or referred someone to conservatorship. It has not handed down a single fine for counties that failed to provide court-ordered services to many CARE participants."
"In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom said, "We built CARE Court to connect people to treatment, dignity, and accountability - because care and accountability belong at the center of how we serve our communities.""
Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed CARE Court to compel agencies to treat severely mentally ill people and to enforce patient compliance. The enacted legislation narrowed eligibility, required more time and information from petitioners, favored voluntary treatment agreements over court-ordered plans, and removed mandated county service requirements. As a result, the state has rarely mandated treatment, rarely referred people to conservatorship, and has not imposed fines on counties for failing to provide court-ordered services. Enrollment fell far short of projections, with 528 enrolled by July and 514 participating through voluntary agreements. The implemented program diverges substantially from the original mandate-driven vision.
Read at San Jose Inside
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