Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program.
- Expands the CARE Court program to include individuals with mood disorders and psychotic features.
- Authorizes courts to conduct initial hearings simultaneously with eligibility determinations to reduce delays.
- Requires comprehensive data collection and reporting to monitor program effectiveness and equity.
- Allows medical records sharing between behavioral health agencies and courts to improve care coordination.
Senator Umberg's amendments to California's Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program expand eligibility criteria and streamline procedures for connecting individuals experiencing severe mental illness with community-based treatment and support services.
The legislation broadens diagnostic eligibility to include mood disorders with psychotic features, while maintaining exclusions for psychosis related to current intoxication. It authorizes courts to conduct initial petition hearings concurrently with prima facie determinations when specific requirements are met, potentially expediting access to services.
The bill enables confidential information sharing between county behavioral health agencies, jail medical providers, and courts to assess individuals' eligibility for behavioral health programs. It adds nurse practitioners and physician assistants to the definition of licensed medical professionals who can provide services under the program.
New provisions allow courts to refer individuals from felony proceedings to the CARE program and permit additional progress hearings beyond the initial 60-day review. The amendments establish comprehensive data collection and reporting requirements, including participant demographics, service delivery metrics, and outcome measures to evaluate program effectiveness and identify potential disparities.
County behavioral health agencies must submit detailed annual reports to the Department of Health Care Services examining factors such as housing status, emergency department visits, law enforcement encounters, and treatment adherence among program participants. The legislation requires courts to consider all treatment options before dismissing criminal charges and maintains existing confidentiality protections for CARE program proceedings.
 Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD Assemblymember | Committee Member |  Not Contacted | |
 Heath FloraR Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Joaquin ArambulaD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Tom UmbergD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
 Mia BontaD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted |
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
Latest Voting History
| Ayes | Noes | NVR | Total | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 0 | 1 | 12 | PASS |
- Expands the CARE Court program to include individuals with mood disorders and psychotic features.
- Authorizes courts to conduct initial hearings simultaneously with eligibility determinations to reduce delays.
- Requires comprehensive data collection and reporting to monitor program effectiveness and equity.
- Allows medical records sharing between behavioral health agencies and courts to improve care coordination.
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
Senator Umberg's amendments to California's Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program expand eligibility criteria and streamline procedures for connecting individuals experiencing severe mental illness with community-based treatment and support services.
The legislation broadens diagnostic eligibility to include mood disorders with psychotic features, while maintaining exclusions for psychosis related to current intoxication. It authorizes courts to conduct initial petition hearings concurrently with prima facie determinations when specific requirements are met, potentially expediting access to services.
The bill enables confidential information sharing between county behavioral health agencies, jail medical providers, and courts to assess individuals' eligibility for behavioral health programs. It adds nurse practitioners and physician assistants to the definition of licensed medical professionals who can provide services under the program.
New provisions allow courts to refer individuals from felony proceedings to the CARE program and permit additional progress hearings beyond the initial 60-day review. The amendments establish comprehensive data collection and reporting requirements, including participant demographics, service delivery metrics, and outcome measures to evaluate program effectiveness and identify potential disparities.
County behavioral health agencies must submit detailed annual reports to the Department of Health Care Services examining factors such as housing status, emergency department visits, law enforcement encounters, and treatment adherence among program participants. The legislation requires courts to consider all treatment options before dismissing criminal charges and maintains existing confidentiality protections for CARE program proceedings.
Latest Voting History
| Ayes | Noes | NVR | Total | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 0 | 1 | 12 | PASS |
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Heath FloraR Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Joaquin ArambulaD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Tom UmbergD Senator | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
Mia BontaD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted |