Lake County, CA – Lake County Behavioral Health Services is pleased to announce the implementation of Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court within Lake County. CARE Court aims to divert individuals that are struggling with specific schizophrenia and other psychotic spectrum disorders away from the criminal justice system and into a civil court process that will provide either voluntary or court ordered treatment, stabilization, and other support services for individuals in need.
The CARE Court program is designed to assist individuals aged 18 and older who meet specific health and safety criteria by offering court-ordered treatment, services, and housing plans to those who may otherwise struggle with homelessness or become involved with the justice system due to specific untreated psychotic disorders. A care team from Lake County Behavioral Health Services will work together with individuals to coordinate treatment, housing support, and other services to ensure that individuals with severe mental health conditions receive the care and support they need. The CARE Court initiative is a critical step in addressing the needs of the county’s most vulnerable residents, including those who may not otherwise seck voluntary treatment.
This collaborative effort between Lake County Behavioral Health Services and the County of Lake Superior Court System will create new pathways for success for Lake County residents that are facing unique and severe mental health challenges. Petitions for CARE Court can be filed by family members, roommates, healtheare providers, clinicians, first responders, county behavioral health staff, and others as specified in the law.
For more information regarding the CARE Act, please visit the California Health and Humans Services CARE Act information page at: https://www.chhs.ca.gov/care-act/