6 Months in and Millions of Dollars Later, California’s CARE Courts Struggle to Gain Momentum

LOS ANGELES—A highly anticipated statewide civil court program aimed at getting more people with severe mental illness into treatment continues to see scant numbers, even as several large California counties are in their sixth month of operations. The Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act, sailed through the Legislature with bipartisan support in 2022. Seven counties launched in October 2023, followed by Los Angeles in December. The rest of California’s 58 counties must implement their programs by the end of the year. The act has ushered in what is known as a CARE Court which allows family members and others to refer their loved ones to a judge who can impose treatment and other remedies....