On the heels of California awarding over half a billion dollars for housing and services serving people experiencing mental health and substance use crises, Governor Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court proposal cleared a major legislative hurdle.
Governor Newsom issued the following statement on CARE Court legislation passing through the Assembly Judiciary Committee with overwhelming support:
“Mental illness. Substance abuse. Homelessness. These are all existential crises we have to address with urgency.
“We’re one step closer to bringing Californians in crisis the much-needed help to stop the cycle of homelessness, hospitalization, and incarceration.
“CARE Court is about meeting people where they are and acting with compassion to support the thousands of Californians living on our streets that are hardest to reach, but who need our help the most. The proposal prioritizes the most sick for behavioral health, medication, and housing, while preventing arrests and conservatorships and holding both government and participants accountable.
“Our strong, bi-partisan coalition, including families, first responders, local leaders, behavioral health care professionals, homeless advocates, and many more will continue fighting to get CARE Court across the finish line to finally begin addressing our state’s most critical issue in an impactful way.”
The Governor’s CARE Court legislation, SB 1338 authored by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) and Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee in a 9 to 1 vote. SB 1338 will advance to the Assembly Health Committee.
Original source can be found here.