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SACRAMENTO, Calif.— State Senator Steven Choi, Ph.D. (R–Irvine) has introduced Senate Bill 1242, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Family Proceedings Modernization Act, to ensure families can remain involved in CARE Court proceedings for individuals with serious mental illness.
The bill amends Section 5977 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to allow family-member petitioners to participate throughout CARE Court proceedings unless a judge determines their involvement would be detrimental to the respondent’s well-being.
Current law often limits family participation after the initial petition, despite families having critical insight into a loved one’s condition and care needs.
“Families are often the first to step in during a crisis and should not be excluded from the process they helped begin,” said Senator Choi. “This bill strengthens CARE Court by ensuring families can continue supporting their loved ones while maintaining appropriate safeguards.”