Substance abuse.

Senator Menjivar's mental health legislation expands California's involuntary treatment criteria to include individuals with severe alcohol use disorder while strengthening procedural protections in the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act. The bill adds chronic alcoholism to the definition of "gravely disabled," allowing courts to order treatment for individuals unable to provide for basic needs due to severe alcohol dependency as defined in current psychiatric diagnostic standards.

The legislation modifies CARE Act proceedings to enhance collaboration between courts, behavioral health agencies, and family members. Original petitioners, such as family members or cohabitants, receive expanded rights to participate in developing treatment plans and monitoring progress, subject to the respondent's consent. The bill maintains strict confidentiality requirements while establishing clear protocols for sharing necessary medical information between healthcare providers and county agencies.

Under the amended process, courts must promptly review petitions to determine whether individuals meet CARE criteria before ordering evaluations or treatment plans. The bill requires regular status hearings every 60 days to assess progress and adjust services as needed. At the one-year mark, respondents may either graduate from the program with a voluntary aftercare plan or request up to one additional year of services. Courts may only involuntarily extend participation if the respondent did not complete the program despite receiving all ordered services and continues to meet CARE criteria.

Counties retain the option to defer implementing these changes until January 2026, allowing time to align procedures and training with the expanded scope of services. The legislation preserves existing requirements that medication cannot be forcibly administered and that non-compliance cannot result in penalties or program termination.