Gov. Gavin Newsom, at podium, speaks at a news conference announcing a proposed a 2024 ballot initiative to improve mental health services across the state, at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego, Sunday, March 19, 2023. California’s CARE Court system, a new initiative to make it easier for judges to compel mentally ill residents into treatment plans and facilities, starts Monday in seven pilot counties, including San Francisco, the only Bay Area county where the program is now underway.
A new poll by the Bay Area News Group and Joint Venture Silicon Valley found overwhelming public support for CARE Court, with 86% of respondents across the core five-county region in favor. It’s a clear reflection of mounting frustrations over officials’ inability to aid many of those on the street with severe mental illnesses.
In a press briefing ahead of Monday’s launch, Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, framed CARE Court as the centerpiece of a broader effort to revamp the state’s mental health care system. Next year, California voters will likely decide on a multibillion-dollar ballot measure to reform mental health funding and add thousands of treatment beds.
The plan would last one year and could be renewed for a second year. If patients do not comply, they could be referred to more restrictive treatment in a locked facility or be jailed if they have a pending criminal case. However, patients cannot be forcibly medicated or jailed solely for refusing to comply with a treatment plan.
Other Bay Area counties will share more information about local mental health courts ahead of their launch by December 2024.