California’s controversial experiment to mandate mental illness and drug treatment for some of its sickest residents is expanding state by state, but the latest data shows the new initiative is falling far short of earlier goals.
The Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Act – known as CARE – recently passed from 11 Pilot districts for all 58And it’s one of the many ways state and local governments across the country are trying to combat the crippling crisis of mental illness and substance abuse.
“There are a lot of people who have been untreated for a long time, and they’ve cycled from prison and homelessness and hospital emergency departments. Hannah WesolowskiChief Advocacy Officer b National Coalition on Mental IllnessHe told me.
First responders, families, and local health officials can all submit requests for help to sick people.
California’s program gives civil court judges the authority to order adults into supervised programs that include housing, social services and treatment for addiction or serious mental illness. Gov. Gavin NewsomIn the year Signing into law in 2022, he called the program a “paradigm shift” that prioritizes the sickest and neediest Californians. The Democratic governor initially said that the administration would serve 2,000 People by the end of 2024.
From the beginning of October 2023 to the end of September, but only at the end of this year 787 Care petitions are filed, by California Judicial Council. Among these, 150 People have been held in court-approved treatment, with hundreds more waiting.
One more from the end of June 362 People are “diverted” from the care court process and offered other services, by California Department of Health Care Services.
State officials said they are in between. 7,000 And 12,000 People eventually qualify for more care 39 million Residents.
Corinne Buchananof Deputy Secretary California Health and Human Services AgencyShe said she is confident he will meet his treatment goal by the end of the year.
Governors in New York and Wisconsin have focused state resources on building community mental health care networks, Wesolowski said, while states like Oregon and Washington have committed resources to mental crisis hotlines and mobile response teams.
Although medical courts are common in other states, Vesolousi said, California is the first to offer more comprehensive services — including housing and food assistance — not just for prescriptions, but known as “wrap-around” services. But the program is one of the most restrictive, only for those with untreated schizophrenia or a related psychiatric disorder.
Such a narrow scope has created frustration among family members who have found out that few people qualify for the program, say county representatives in California.
Finding those who qualify can take time and treatment is mostly voluntary.
Amber IrvineAccording to the program manager of the San Diego County Care Court, it takes employees there on average 54 Casual discussions where the state usually doesn’t pay the costs to convince someone to accept help.
“In general, with such a complex program and complex population, we have to adjust our expectations of what can be done in one year,” Irvine said.
This article is not available for syndication due to reprint restrictions. If you have questions about the availability of this or any other content to The Republic, please contact NewsWeb@kff.org.
KFF health news It is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism on health issues and is one of the main operating programs at KFF—a resource for health policy research, advocacy and journalism. Learn more about KFF.
Use our content
This story may be reprinted for free ( details ).
