County of Los Angeles - File #: 25-3366

• File #: 25-3366
• Version: 1
• Type: Motion
• Status: On Agenda
• File created: 6/10/2025
• In control: Supervisor District 4
• On agenda: 7/1/2025
• Title: Improving CARE Court in Los Angeles County Recommendation as submitted by Supervisor Hahn: Direct the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to do the following: 1. Report back, in writing, in 120 days with progress updates on the following: a. Collaboration with the Los Angeles Superior Court (LASC) and the Independent Defense Council Office (IDCO) to discuss ways to align with statutory timelines and streamline the disposition and processing of CARE Court cases; b. Collaboration with the LASC and IDCO to develop a process by which Welfare and Institutions Code 59794 will be utilized; c. The development of expedited mechanisms for first responders to make seamless referrals to DMH for CARE Court; d. Plans to increase community awareness and understanding of CARE Court; e. An evaluation of internal protocols to improve family and petitioner inclusion after initial applications are submitted; and f. In collaboration with the Chief Executive Office's Legislative Affairs and Intergov...
• Sponsors: Janice Hahn
• Indexes: 3-VOTES, Category - Health

motion text
MOTION BY SUPERVISOR JANICE HAHN

Improving CARE Court in Los Angeles County

CARE Court provides upstream treatment opportunities to individuals suffering from severe mental health and/or substance use disorders by authorizing specified people, like family members, to petition a civil court to create a CARE plan or agreement for an adult who is suffering from schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorders and lacks medical decision-making capacity. On February 11, 2025, the Los Angeles County (County) Board of Supervisors (Board) unanimously approved a motion1 that directed the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to report back with an analysis of the first year of CARE Court and to collaborate with the Los Angeles County Behavioral Health Commission (BHC) to gather stakeholder feedback on CARE Court. On April 4, 2025, the BHC hosted a CARE Court Feedback Town Hall, where stakeholders, who attended in person and virtually, shared their experiences, concerns, and suggestions related to CARE Court. Shortly thereafter, two separate reports-back2 were submitted that covered data from the first year, outreach efforts, challenges and potential solutions, as well as stakeholder feedback.
While there has been progress since the program was implemented in the County on December 1, 2023, particularly with getting people the help they need by establishing CARE agreements and CARE plans, there have also been challenges that should be addressed in order to make the program more impactful. DMH and stakeholders expressed a shared frustration that the program does not allow for the court and providers to compel treatment. Because this barrier is a result of the way the law was written, future legislative changes may be necessary to increase intensity of services by mandating treatment. However, there was also frustration with there not being a process to transition people who require a higher level of care out of CARE Court into a more appropriate treatmen...