What you need to know: Today, Governor Newsom signed a package of legislation to strengthen and streamline access to critical behavioral health care services, including the first-in-the nation CARE Court.

Sacramento, California - Governor Gavin Newsom today signed a package of bills aimed at strengthening access, accountability, and outcomes in the state’s behavioral health care system, especially for those with the most serious mental health issues and substance use disorders.

“Tackling the mental health and substance use disorder crises facing our nation and state is one of the most important goals of my administration. We are acting urgently to get people life-saving treatment and supportive housing through innovative solutions like CARE Court and conservatorship reform, and working to ensure that these initiatives respond to the feedback we’re seeing on the ground. I am proud to work with the Legislature to support our most vulnerable neighbors getting the care they need.” - Governor Gavin Newsom

Featured legislation signed today 

SB 42 by Senator Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) - Streamlines county and court implementation of the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act through improving the petition process, clarifying types of communication between petitioners, respondents, judges, and county behavioral health departments, and strengthening CARE as a means to ensure participants’ long-term stabilization. 

Senator Tom Umberg: “Governor Newsom and I are committed wholeheartedly to CARE Court’s success. SB 42 honors that commitment by making critical adjustments to CARE Court to further help families and those enrolled in CARE Court before it is implemented statewide this December.”

SB 1238 by Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) - Expands the types of facilities where people who are held on a temporary conservatorship for substance use disorder care may receive treatment to also include mental health rehabilitation centers and psychiatric health facilities. 

Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman: “SB 1238 expands the range of facilities that can treat individuals with severe substance use disorders and provides DHCS with the authority to approve future facility types to treat those who are ‘gravely disabled’ from either a severe substance use disorder or mental health disorder.  I am tremendously grateful that Governor Newsom has consistently leaned into investing in solutions to the behavioral health problems we see on the streets in communities around the state.  His vision and leadership has pushed us to rethink how behavioral health services should be delivered in our State and is cause for optimism.”

SB 1400 by Senator Henry Stern (D-Calabasas) - Increases transparency and accountability for counties and courts in implementing the CARE Act by requiring additional annual reporting to the state, and also requires a court in a Misdemeanor Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) hearing to first determine if the IST individual is eligible for programs or treatment before dismissing a case.

Senator Henry Stern: “This law will prevent thousands of severely mentally ill people who are arrested from simply being recycled from jail back into the streets. This is a problem that must be remedied with front-loaded mental health care. I applaud Governor Newsom for refusing to allow this jail to street pipeline to continue, and to the unique coalition of doctors, disability rights and social justice advocates, public defenders and prosecutors who came together to get this bill passed.” 

AB 2376 by Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains (D-Bakersfield) - Increases the number of hospital beds available for the treatment of substance use disorder -  including chemical dependency recovery services, medications for addiction treatment, and medically supervised inpatient detoxification care - by providing facilities with new flexibility in managing their treatment slots. 

Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains: “As a physician and addiction specialist, I know that the addiction crisis facing our state requires mobilizing resources at every level. I am grateful to our partners at CA Bridge and Governor Newsom for working to expand access to proven and cost-effective solutions that allow more patients to access addiction recovery services close to home. I believe these services should be available in every emergency room throughout the state and AB 2376 moves us one step closer to that future.”

How we got here

CARE Court is a first-in-the-nation approach to create accountability for connecting individuals with untreated psychosis to the treatment and housing they need. Under CARE Court, families, first responders, health care providers, and others are able to take action and file a petition with their local CARE Court to help people with untreated schizophrenia spectrum or psychotic disorders get treatment and housing. As of August, CARE courts in nine counties are helping more than 700 people get treatment and housing - often in response to petitions filed by a family member. All 58 counties will offer CARE Courts by December 1, 2024.

In 2023, Governor Newsom signed into law SB 43 (Eggman, D-Stockton) to modernize the state’s conservatorship laws for the first time in more than 50 years. The law updated the definition of “gravely disabled” for those eligible for a conservatorship to include people who are unable to provide for their personal safety or necessary medical care, in addition to food, clothing, or shelter. The law now includes people who are gravely disabled due to a severe substance use disorder, as well as serious mental illnesses. 

Statewide efforts to transform behavioral health

California is transforming our entire behavioral health care system. The result: more and better mental health and substance use disorder care for all Californians. In March 2024, voters passed Proposition 1, which includes two parts: a $6.4 billion Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond to build  treatment settings and housing with services, and a historic reform of the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) to focus on people with the most serious illnesses, substance disorders, and supportive housing needs. Prop 1 is being implemented across the state at record speed. 

Applications for Prop 1 bond funding are now being accepted through December for $3.3 billion available to build behavioral health out-patient and in-patient treatment settings. Funds will be awarded beginning in spring 2025. Just last week, the Newsom Administration released new Prop 1 HomeKey+ program guidance for up to $2.2 billion in funding. Homekey+ will build more than 4,000 units of permanent supportive housing for veterans and other individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorder challenges who are at risk for or experiencing homelessness. Funds will be awarded beginning in spring 2025.

Also last week, the state released the first statewide plan for Behavioral Health Workforce, thanks to the Prop 1 investment of roughly $100 million annually beginning in July 2025. Learn more and stay updated at mentalhealth.ca.gov.

Legislation signed today to support behavioral health care efforts

AB 1316 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) - Emergency services: psychiatric emergency medical conditions.

AB 1842 by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-San Bernardino) - Health care coverage: Medication-assisted treatment.

AB 2115 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) - Controlled substances: clinics.

AB 2154 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) - Mental health: involuntary treatment.

AB 2270 by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) -- Healing arts: continuing education: menopausal mental or physical health.

AB 2703 by Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) - Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics: psychological associates.

AB 2871 by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) -- Overdose fatality review teams.

SB 910 by Senator Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) - Treatment court program standards.

SB 1063 by Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) - Pupil safety: identification cards. A signing message can be found here.

SB 1184 by Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) - Mental health: involuntary treatment: antipsychotic medication.

SB 1318 by Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Fremont) - Pupil health: suicide prevention policies: pupil suicide crisis.

SB 1323 by Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-Van Nuys) - Criminal procedure: competence to stand trial.