The CARE Act

The Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act creates a new pathway to deliver mental health treatment and support services to the most vulnerable Californians.

I applaud the Governor and the Legislature for addressing this issue—it is of utmost importance to all Californians. Many CARE participants would likely end up in our court system at some point—whether through civil or in our criminal courts, and I appreciate the efforts to intervene earlier through CARE. Supporting the courts as the CARE Program is rolled out over the course of the coming months and years will continue to be a top priority for the Judicial Council. I am heartened—and I hope others are, too—to hear of all of the work to date at both the local and state level." 
 

—Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero

Implementation Overview

• The CARE Act (SB 1338) took effect on January 1, 2023.

• Eight counties—Glenn, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne—have implemented programs.

• The remaining 50 counties must begin implementation by December 1, 2024.