CARE Act Court

No-cost, free MCLE event

1 hour participatory California MCLE credit

Program Description

The Community Assistance Recovery and Empowerment Act (CARE Act) was enacted in 2022 by Senate State Bill 1338. The CARE Act authorizes a person to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or plan and to implement services including stabilizing medication, housing, and other enumerated services for a respondent. The county behavioral health department must provide these services. To qualify, the respondent must be over the age of 18 years and suffer from a severe mental illness with a schizophrenia diagnosis or other psychotic disorders. As mandated, Alameda County implemented the CARE Act Court (CAC) in December 2024.

This program will discuss the requirements for CAC, who can petition, how to petition, and the status of implementation of the court here in Alameda County as part of the Probate Department.

About the presenter

Sandra K. Bean is a Superior Court Judge in Alameda County assigned to the CAC. Judge Bean has served in Alameda County since 2007. She is the chairperson of the Probate Curriculum Committee for Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER) and chairperson of the Probate Committee for the California Judges Association. She teaches at the CJER Probate Orientations and Probate Institutes in addition to frequently presenting for legal workshops.

Flyer available here