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CARE Act

What is the CARE Act?

The Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act allows specific people to ask the court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or court-ordered CARE plan for someone who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders and is experiencing untreated severe mental illness. The CARE plan may include treatment, housing support, and other services. The CARE process involves assessments and a hearing to determine if someone is eligible. The county behavioral health agency is involved in the CARE process.

Who is Eligible?

The CARE Act does not apply to everyone experiencing a mental health crisis.  A great way to understand if someone is eligible is to watch this short video CARE Act Eligibility If you or someone you care about needs immediate help with a mental health crisis, information about how to get help is here: How to Receive Mental Health Services

The general criteria:

  • 18 years or older
  • Diagnosed with schizophrenia or other associated psychotic disorders and currently experiencing symptoms.
  • Not clinically stabilized in ongoing treatment.
  • The individual's mental health is substantially deteriorating, and they are unlikely to survive safely in the community without supervision AND/OR need services and support to prevent relapse and deterioration.
  • Participation in CARE is the least restrictive alternative and the individual is likely to benefit from participation in CARE. 
  • CARE is a voluntary program.

Who Can File a Petition?

Anyone who is 18 or older and falls into one of the categories listed below.

  • A person who lives with the respondent.
  • A spouse, registered domestic partner, parent, sibling, child, or grandparent.
  • A person who stands in place of a parent to the respondent.
  • The director of a hospital, or their designee, in which the respondent is or was recently hospitalized.
  • The director of a public or charitable agency, or their designee, who has within the last 30 days provided or who is currently providing behavioral health services to the respondent or in whose institution the respondent resides. 
  • A licensed behavioral health professional, or their designee, who is or has been supervising the treatment of or treating the respondent for mental illness within the last 30 days. 
  • The director of a county behavioral health agency, or their designee, of the county where the respondent resides or is found.
  • A judge of a tribal court located in California, or their designee.
  • The director of adult protective services, or their designee, of the county where the respondent resides or is found.
  • The director of a California Indian health services program or a California tribal behavioral health department, or their designee.
  • A first responder who has had repeated interactions with the respondent.
  • The public guardian or public conservator, or their designee.
  • The respondent. 

Where Do I File a Petition?

CARE Act filings are accepted at our Santa Cruz Courthouse.

Individuals without attorneys can file in person at the Civil Department, located at 701 Ocean Street, Room 110 Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

How Can I Get Help?

For help with the CARE Act process, please reach out to the Santa Cruz County Law Library or the Santa Cruz Superior Court Self Help Center. Both provide assistance via email, phone, or in person. If possible, call or email first so we can make the most of your in-person visit.  

Santa Cruz County Law Library - Phone: 831-420-2205 Email: santacruzlawlibrary@gmail.com, current walk-in hours at www.lawlibrary.org 

Santa Cruz Superior Court Self Help Center - Phone: 831-786-7200 option 4 Email: selfhelp.information@santacruzcourt.org, current walk-in hours at www.santacruzcourts.ca.gov/self-help 

Resources

You can find more information about the CARE Act and the CARE process in general by reviewing the following resources: