CARE Court is Coming to San Francisco. Here’s What We Can Expect

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KQED

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.2 • 727 Ratings

🗓️ 18 September 2023

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

San Francisco is one of eight counties that will be piloting California’s new CARE Courts program ahead of a statewide rollout next year. Beginning next month, people with schizophrenia or psychosis can be referred to the new court and, if they meet certain criteria, receive a court-ordered care plan that can include mental health treatment, housing and medication. Critics warn that the system could violate the civil liberties of people with disabilities and lead to harmful coercive care, but proponents say the measure will assist unhoused people living with severe, untreated mental illness by getting them the attention they need. We’ll get into the details and the debate. Guests: Susan Talamantes-Eggman, state Senator representing California's 5th District; co-author of SB 1338, the legislation which established CARE court in California Rafael Mandelman, represents District 8 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Scott Shafer, senior editor, KQED’s California Politics and Government desk and co-host of Political Breakdown Tal Klement, Deputy Public Defender in the Mental Health Unit, San Francisco Public Defender's Office Eric Harris, director of public policy, Disability Rights California Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:31.1	From KQED.
0:32.1	Thank you. From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal.
0:47.8	San Francisco will be one of eight counties piloting a new and controversial California
0:52.6	program designed to help deal with the mental health crisis on our streets.
0:57.0	Beginning next month, people with schizophrenia or psychosis can be referred to what are being called care courts,
1:02.0	and they could receive a court-ordered care plan.
1:06.0	While the bill had strong support in the legislature, critics warned that it threatens the civil liberties of people with mental illness and could lead to harmful coercive care, which to be clear has happened in the
1:15.9	past. We'll find out how care courts will try to balance between getting people the help they
1:20.4	desperately need while preserving the freedoms Americans expect. That's all coming up next after this
1:26.4	news.
1:40.8	Welcome to Forum. I'm Alexis Madrigal. SB 1338 established a new route for pushing people to get help for severe mental illness. You've probably heard of it.
1:45.4	It's called Care Court.
1:51.2	While the bill passed in 2022, it's now beginning to be implemented in eight counties,
	...

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