CARE Act

The CARE Act provides community-based behavioral health services and support to Californians living with untreated schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders.

Through a new civil court process, CARE Court moves care and support upstream to provide earlier action, support, and accountability for both CARE clients, and the local governments responsible for providing services to these individuals.

CARE Act Overview

Senate Bill (SB) 1338 (Chapter 319, Statutes of 2022) established the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act to provide community-based behavioral health services and support to Californians living with untreated schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders and who meet specific criteria. The CARE Act is intended as an intervention for the most severely impaired Californians to prevent avoidable psychiatric hospitalizations, incarceration, and Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Mental Health conservatorship. SB 1338 created a phased approach to CARE Court implementation throughout California. 

The CARE Act is based on evidence which demonstrates that many people can stabilize, begin healing, and exit homelessness in less restrictive, community-based care settings. To achieve these results, the CARE Act will place individuals on a court-ordered CARE plan for up to 12-months, with the possibility of 12-month extension.

For more background information, please visit the following pages:

NAMI California: 

CARE Act in Santa Cruz County

CARE Court will be available to Santa Cruz County residents starting December 1, 2024. The County and Superior Court are collaborating with City and Behavioral Health partners to ensure access to eligible individuals. Further information will be available in Summer 2024. For immediate questions, please contact the County at CareAct@santacruzcountyca.gov. 

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Superior Court

The Superior Court has Self Help and Law Library resources for families navigating CA.

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CARE Act Resource Center

A coordinated State resource for all things CARE Act.

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California HHS

The California Health and Human Services CARE Act resources. 

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California DHCS

The California Department of Healthcare Services CARE Act resources. 

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CARE Act Resources for Petitioners

This tutorial introduces the role system partners play in petitioning for CARE Act proceedings, including how to gather and provide relevant information. It serves as a general overview, offering insight into the various stages of petitioning.

Overview of the Role of System Partners in the Petition Process

This video tutorial is part of a series to better understand the petitioning process for the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act. In this tutorial, we walk through the CARE-100 form, the Petition to Commence CARE Act Proceedings. We talk through each section and the information you can consider including.

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Overview of the CARE-101 Form & Other Documentation

This video tutorial is part of a series to better understand the petitioning process for the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act. This video tutorial provides information about the requirements outlined in the CARE-100 form to submit additional documentation, either through a CARE-101 form or additional documentation.

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Overview of the CARE-100 Petition Form for System Partners

This video tutorial is part of a series to better understand the petitioning process for the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act. In this tutorial, we walk through the CARE-100 form, the Petition to Commence CARE Act Proceedings. We talk through each section and the information you can consider including.

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