SAN DIEGO — CARE Court, which stands for "Community Assistance Recovery and Empowerment" is Governor Gavin Newsom's plan to get Californians in crisis off the streets and into housing and treatment; mainly geared towards those with Schizophrenia.
It goes into effect on October 2, yet there are questions on how and if it will work.
It’s a process where families, clinicians, and first responders can file a petition with the Civil Court to connect adults to treatment. However, many questions remain on how it will work since the program is voluntary.
Superior Court Judge Kimberlee Lagotta says one aspect of the program is accountability; meaning the person will have a team to help keep them involved in the program if it's needed.
"There is potential for accountability, obviously the review hearings every 60 days holds individuals accountable, the team of support whether it's lawyer or support person or treatment providers can encourage the person to stay engaged in the program. However, if the respondent does not participate in the CARE Act services, the court may terminate the respondent from the court process. Additionally, if the respondent was in a court ordered CARE plan and provided all services and support as agreed to in a timely manner, the respondent fails to complete CARE plan; that fact can be considered in a future conservatorship hearing," said Lagotta.
Lagotta and a team of other judges trained in mental health also make the decision if a CARE Plan will be developed. Then, it’s a year-long process with 60-day review hearings to go over progress.
She says CARE Court is just a first step and it’s the right step towards a better community.
"It will improve the quality of life, decrease risks to their health and personal safety as well as have a positive impact on our community's well-being and society as a whole," said Lagotta.
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