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Legislative Update
~ By: Paul Yoder, Lobbyist

Monterey Conference
First off, thank you so much for inviting me to speak with you (in person!) in
Monterey. I loved the interaction during my presentation, as well as before and after.
Look forward to doing it again soon.

CARE Court

The Governor's new proposal for CARE Courts continues to be the most talked about
behavioral health issue in California.
Process: Senators Umberg and Eggman have amended SB 1338 to be a vehicle for further discussions
about CARE Court in the policy process as much as possible rather than the state budget process. The
California State Association of Psychiatrists (CSAP)’s lobbyists at SYASL, Inc. believe that the Newsom
Administration will soon release a much more detailed proposal, if not the week of April 4, then certainly
the week of April 11. When this happens, Senators Umberg and Eggman will amend SB 1338 so that the
bill can then be discussed and debated in policy committees of the legislature.
CSAP and SYASL Outreach: Soon after the Governor’s announcement, Stephanie Welch, the Deputy
Secretary for Behavioral Health in the California Health and Human Services Agency, met with the CSAP GA
Committee for an hour. GA Committee members raised a host of issues and expressed their gratitude to
Ms. Welch for making herself available especially during such a hectic week for the Administration. Ms.
Welch asked for CSAP's continued feedback and ideas on the CARE Court proposal. The GA Committee will
meet with administration staff again in April. Similarly, SYASL was contacted by the Governor's personal
staff about wanting input from CSAP member psychiatrists. Also, CSAP members are also participating
behind the scenes in various forums as thought leaders around the state attempt to inform the proposal
as best as possible.

County Reactions: The California State Association of Counties and the Urban Counties of California have
finalized their comment letters regarding the CARE Court framework. You may view them here: CSAC
CARE Court Comment Letter, UCC CARE Court Comment Letter. The California State Association of Public
Administrators, Public Guardians, and Public Conservators have weighed in on CARE Court. You may view
their letter here.

CARE Court Resources:
CARE Court Website
Framework document
Behavioral Health - Improving California’s Infrastructure
FAQ

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY Page 21 March/April 2022