June 7, 2022, Item #18DATE: TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Summary: M EM ORAN DLJ M City of Poway June 7, 2022 Members of the City Council Steve Vaus, Mayor Support of Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Court Legislation CARE Court (Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment) is pending State legislation (SB 1338) under consideration in the California State Senate that would provide a new process to assist people living with untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders who lack medical decision-making capacity, many of whom are homeless. CARE Court will empower Californians in crisis, as well their family members, roommates, first responders, licensed behavioral health professionals, and others to petition to access the care, treatment, and housing plan needed. CARE Court connects a person struggling with untreated mental illness, and often also substance use challenges with a court-ordered plan for up to 24 months. Each plan is managed by a care team in the community and can include clinically prescribed, individualized interventions with several supportive services, medications, and a housing plan. CARE Court does not wait until someone is hospitalized or arrested before providing treatment. The client-centered approach also includes a public defender and supporter to help make self-directed care decisions in addition to their full clinical team. All counties across the state will participate in CARE Court under the proposal and will be able to tap into multiple funding sources to provide the court ordered care and treatment. CARE Court is intended for individuals who lack medical decision-making capacity because their illness is untreated or undertreated, and therefore may require a court ordered CARE plan to secure such treatment. Recommended Action: I ask for Councilmembers' concurrence to support the CARE Court legislation through approval of the attached resolution. The legislation as presented will help provide critical tools and a new approach to stabilize people with hardest-to-treat behavioral health conditions. 1 of 3
June 7, 2022, Item #18Attachments: A. Resolution Reviewed/ Approved By ~~j, I' ~--"'· Wendy ~serman Assistant City Manager 2 of 3 Reviewed By: Alan Fenstermacher City Attorney Approved By: Ch( Ha tine City Manager
June 7, 2022, Item #18RESOLUTION. NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POWAY SUPPORTING SB-1338, COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE, RECOVERY, AND EMPOWERMENT (CARE) COURT PROGRAM WHEREAS, addressing the challenges of homelessness results in significant costs to the residents of the City; and WHEREAS, mental illness and drug addiction are root causes for many experiencing homelessness, and until the challenges of mental illness and drug addiction of those experience homelessness are addressed, homelessness will remain a challenge for the City and other communities in California; and WHEREAS, Governor Gavin Newsom presented legislation that will address mental illness and drug use-the legislation is referred to as SB-1338 Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program ("SB-1338"), which will serve as an important tool to help secure permanent housing for those experiencing homelessness. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POWAY AS FOLLOWS: 1. The above recitals are true and correct, and are the findings of the City Council. 2. The City Council hereby supports SB-1338, and authorizes staff to support SB-1338 on behalf of the City. PASSED, ADOPTED AND APPROVED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Poway, California on the 7th day of June, 2022 by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: DISQUALIFIED: Steve Vaus, Mayor ATTEST: Carrie Gallagher, CMC, City Clerk 3 of 3 ATTACHMENT A