CA SB1338

Establishes the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, creating a new civil court process for adults with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders who meet specific criteria, offering voluntary CARE agreements or court-ordered CARE plans with behavioral health services, housing, and medication support.

Requires a first cohort of seven counties (Glenn, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and San Francisco) to implement CARE by October 1, 2023, and all remaining counties by December 1, 2024, contingent on state funding allocation.

Mandates court appointment of counsel for respondents, requires supporters to assist participants in decision-making, establishes confidential court proceedings, and allows courts to impose fines up to $1,000 per day on non-compliant local government entities (capped at $25,000 per violation).

Requires health care service plans and insurers to cover all CARE-related services and evaluations without cost-sharing (except prescription drugs) and without prior authorization, effective July 1, 2023.

Permits courts to refer misdemeanor defendants found mentally incompetent to the CARE process and requires comprehensive data collection, annual reporting, and independent evaluation of program effectiveness.