SB 1242: Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program.

Session Year: 2025-2026
House: Senate
Latest Version Date: 2026-06-17

Current Status:

In Progress

(2026-07-01: From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.)

Introduced

In Committee

First Chamber

In Committee

Second Chamber

Enacted

Version:

Existing law, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, authorizes specified adult persons to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan and implement services, to be provided by county behavioral health agencies, to provide behavioral health care, including stabilization medication, housing, and other enumerated services, to adults who are currently experiencing a severe mental illness and have a diagnosis identified in the disorder class schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and who meet other specified criteria. Existing law authorizes specified individuals to file a petition to commence the CARE process, including, but not limited to, a spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandparent, or an individual who stands in loco parentis to the respondent. Existing law requires the court to issue an order relieving the original petitioner if the petitioner is someone other than the director of a county behavioral health agency or their designee and appoint the director or their designee as the successor petitioner. Existing law requires the original petitioner to have specified rights to notice of proceedings if the petitioner is a parent or specified family member or the person with whom the respondent resides. Existing law authorizes the court to allow the original petitioner to participate in the respondents CARE proceedings to the extent the respondent consents.

This bill, if the original petitioner is a parent or specified family member, would require the court to allow the original petitioner to participate in the respondents CARE program for the purpose of assisting in care coordination and providing relevant information to the CARE team, unless the court determines, on its own motion or on motion of the respondent, at any point in the proceedings, that it would likely be detrimental to the treatment or well-being of the respondent. The bill would authorize the court to limit or exclude participation by the original petitioner under these provisions upon a finding that participation by the original petitioner would likely be detrimental to the treatment or well-being of the respondent. The bill would prohibit disclosure to the original petitioner of information protected by specified confidentiality provisions unless the respondent consents.

This bill would authorize the original petitioner to provide specified information regarding the respondent, including the respondents condition, treatment history, and housing status. The bill would require the CARE team to review specified parts of the provided information, including that relevant to the respondents care and treatment, and would authorize the court to consider that information in evaluating the respondents progress and compliance, among other things. The bill would specify that the respondents consent is not required to receive this information from the original petitioner and that submission of this information does not confer party status on the original petitioner or create a right to direct treatment decisions, obtain discovery, access confidential records, receive protected health information, attend confidential proceedings, or otherwise participate in the proceedings without the respondents consent, except as expressly provided by law.

Discussed in Hearing