Gov. Gavin Newsom say CARE Courts getting pushback from counties
SAN FRANCISCO - One of Gov. Gavin Newsom's signature programs, Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Court for the mentally and drug disabled, isn't going as smoothly as he would like. Some counties are giving him major pushback on the naming of guardian conservators for those unable to understand their actions or represent themselves.
CARE and so-called CARE Courts launched Oct. 1 and are now in seven counties and continue to be phased into all 58. On Friday, Newsom and the Secretary of Health Dr. Mark Ghaly gave an update.
CARE Court's mission is to get mentally ill and substance-addicted people the treatment they need, up to and including, appointing a court-ordered legal guardian, called a conservator, to act on their behalf.
"A new pathway to support people with schizophrenia and other psychotic spectrum disorders that need. Not just care, but housing and other social supports and a comprehensive plan. Two thousand individuals, potentially by the end of next year, served through this pathway," said Ghaly.
This addresses decades of repeatedly putting mentally or drug-disabled people back on the streets.
"There's nothing happening in the United States at this scale, more comprehensively across the spectrum on behavioral health reform," said Newsom.
"CARE Court gives us a chance to create a plan that stops that cycle. We've always said we want to right the cycles of going in and out of institutions," said Ghaly.
The $11.6 billion for the CARE Court program is essential for the local delivery of services. However, some participating counties say treatment is fine, but it's too soon to appoint guardians to force it.
"You have counties that are opting not to move forward: Santa Clara County, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Sacramento County, Riverside County. I call a little BS on this, I really do. Time to move with a deep sense of urgency. The state has done its job. It's time for the counties to do their job," said Newsom.
In San Francisco, residents told KTVU that it should be done, but only very carefully.
"You can't have it both ways. You can't say, 'Yes, there's diminished capacity, but yes let's just let them live on the street because that's a choice.' It's one or the other," said Stephanie Lehman.
"To make sure that it's actually humane in the way they're treating people inside of these institutions, not just throwing away the key and losing people in the system," said Chassar Pachaad.
Sometimes, patients facing CARE Court will submit for treatment to avoid going to court.
"Stocks and carrots. It's like there's all kinds of ways to compel to do what's in their best interest and to provide for public safety," said Lehman.