Welcome to CARE
The CARE Act seeks to provide mental health services, support, and accountability for Californians living with untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.
The CARE Act Concept
CARE Act will help community members who have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders. As a result of these disorders, many people who would benefit from help may not recognize that they need it. CARE Act will build a relationship with each participant, motivate the participant to develop a treatment plan, and support them on their journey to a happier, healthier life. Each treatment plan will consider the individual’s needs, preferences, and goals.
When the person who needs the support of CARE Act accepts a treatment plan, everyone involved in CARE Act will collaborate with that person to succeed. As soon as the person who needs the help reaches a point in treatment where the Court’s involvement is no longer necessary or beneficial, the case will be dismissed.
Who is eligible to participate in CARE?
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Participant Eligibility
Individuals must meet all the following criteria to be eligible for CARE:
- 18 years of age or older.
- Diagnosed with a disorder within the "schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders" class of disorders and currently experiencing symptoms. *View full list of eligible diagnoses.
- 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 a CARE Plan is the least restrictive alternative and the individual is likely to benefit from participation in a CARE Plan.
The person who is subject to the petition for the CARE process is referred to as the "respondent." If you do not meet the requirements above, options for assistance are still available at Monterey County Department of Behavioral Health.
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Who files the petition?
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Family/Home
- Person with whom respondent resides
- Spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandparent or other individual in place of a parent
- Respondent (i.e., self-petition)
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Community
- First responder (e.g., peace officer, firefighter, paramedic, mobile crisis response, homeless outreach worker)
- Director of a hospital, or designee, in which respondent is hospitalized (including for Welfare and Institutions Code 5150 and 5250 holds)
- Licensed behavioral health professional, or designee treating respondent for mental illness
- Director of a public/charitable organization providing behavioral health services to the respondent in whose institution the respondent resides
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County
- County behavioral health director, or designee
- Public guardian, or designee
- Director of adult protective services, or designee
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Tribal Jurisdiction
- Director of a California Indian health services program, California tribal behavioral health department, or designee
- Judge of a tribal court located in CA, or designee
How and Where to file a CARE Act Petition.
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How do I file a CARE Petition?
Eligible petitioners must complete and submit the following materials to begin the CARE Act process:
- CARE-100 form AND
- CARE-101 Mental Health Declaration from a licensed behavioral health provider
ORAttach evidence, to CARE-100 form, that the person in need of services was detained for a minimum of two periods of intensive treatment (WIC 5250 hold process) and the most recent event occurred within the past 60 days.
Please note that the forms are available in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese and English.
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Where do I File a CARE Petition?
Petitioners have the following options to file CARE Act petitions and supporting documentation:
- Electronically through a Electronic Service Provider. Service Providers | Odyssey eFileCA
- In person at the Monterey Branch located at 1200 Aguajito Rd, Monterey CA 93940.
What to expect after submitting a petition
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Assessment
The Court will assess and evaluate the petition to determine if there is sufficient information to schedule an initial hearing for the individual or if more information is needed. The eligible individual may be contacted by the Monterey County Department of Mental Health and may also be contacted by an appointed attorney.
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Determination and Treatment Hearings
Usually, after the parties have begun exchanging information, a closed hearing will be held in order to determine whether the individual can participate in CARE. At the initial hearing, the Monterey County Department of Mental Health will become the petitioner in the CARE case and will remain the petitioner for the duration of the case.
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Oversight and Treatment Implementation Hearings
The Court will schedule hearings, to occur every 60 days at a minimum, to learn about the individual's progress. Progress reports can be scheduled for up to a year, if needed and extended for an additional year under certain circumstances.
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Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation
Throughout the duration of the CARE process, specialists monitor the individual's progress and adjustments are made as needed, whether there is a mutually entered into CARE Agreement or CARE Plan order requested by a judicial officer.
Additional Resources
The CARE Act Toolkit includes informational documents about implementation and eligibility. Additional documents will be posted here as they are developed.
• CARE Act Fact Sheet (March 2023) - Also available in: Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese
• Glossary of CARE Act Terminology - Also available in: Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese
• CARE Act Eligibility Criteria - Also available in: Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese
• CARE Act: Court Locations and Timeline for Implementation
• 10 Things to Know About the CARE Act
Not everyone will meet criteria for the CARE Act program. If eligibility criteria is not met or you are interested in alternatives to CARE proceedings please refer to our Behavioral Health resource page.