Extra

Earlier today, Governor Newsom unveiled his "Care Court System" for eliminating homeless encampments across California. It is a plan that would force homeless individuals (presumably homeless due to untreated mental illness) to go before a judge and to be subject to court orders forcing them into mental health treatment. Under the proposal, counties would be required to provide services to individuals who have been ordered to comply. This is a rehash of Laura's Law that passed the State Legislature and was signed into law by Governor Brown. This, according to a retired clinical psychologist to whom I spoke, is the same thing that has been tried repeatedly. She told me that in some instances, there is really nothing that works to help mentally ill individuals who cannot be made to have insight about their illness. 

"In a bold new effort to combat homelessness, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration plans to overhaul a behavioral health system that for years has failed thousands of Californians with severe mental illness, leaving many to cycle in and out of jail or hospitals and languish on the streets." - Bay Area Newsgroup 3/3/2022 

The proposal is necessarily vague because the specifics of the law have not yet been authored. That will require the State Legislature to write a bill. No doubt they would borrow pieces from past laws and/or existing laws when they go to write the thing. 

Laura's Law passed by a wide margin and was put into effect in many counties. The big problem as I see it, is where there aren't enough resources available even to help those like me, who are clamoring for more help and more services. This is the same old same old. Newsom has put it into some newfangled packaging and is touting it as the big solution to homelessness in our state. The centerpiece of the proposal is that a court order will be used to force mentally ill homeless to comply with treatment. 

Under one interpretation, "In order for this to work, there must be consequences for those not following the [court orders]." In other words, California will make it a crime to suffer from mental illness. And an appearance before a judge adds to the criminality of mental illness that is proposed. 

What would happen if California merely would make it affordable to find housing on the meagre benefits we get? What if California simply mandated guaranteed housing for people with disabilities? The thing is, you're not going to recover if you don't have access to the very basic of needs. If housing is a given, if food and medicine are a given, I believe recovery naturally follows. Why not try that?