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

Senator Umberg's modification to California's Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program permits courts to combine the initial appearance and prima facie determination hearings when evaluating petitions for behavioral health services. The CARE Program, which began in October 2023, enables courts to create voluntary agreements or ordered plans for adults with severe mental illness, particularly those with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.

Under the amended procedures, courts maintain their obligation to review petitions for prima facie evidence that respondents meet CARE criteria, but may now conduct this review simultaneously with the initial appearance if specific conditions are met. The bill outlines distinct processes for petitions filed by county behavioral health directors versus other authorized individuals. When behavioral health directors file petitions, courts must appoint legal representation for respondents and ensure notification to relevant parties within 14 court days. For other petitioners, courts order county agencies to investigate and report within 30 court days on the respondent's eligibility and engagement with voluntary services.

The legislation preserves existing confidentiality protections for county behavioral health agency reports while adding provisions for tribal participation when respondents are enrolled in federally recognized tribes. As an urgency measure, these procedural changes take effect immediately upon enactment to align with the ongoing implementation of the CARE Act.