Advocates have slammed Newsom for taking action on substance use disorders

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill this week that his administration says will “create a paradigm shift that provides people with serious mental health and substance use disorders with the care and services they need to recover.”

But drug reform advocates are crying badly, saying the measure amounts to massive government overreach.

Newsom signed into law what is known as the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act on Wednesday.

The Democratic governor hailed the bipartisan support for the legislation. His office said the new law will “provide upstream help before conservators and outside institutional walls” and will allow “families, physicians, first responders and others to refer individuals suffering from schizophrenia spectrum or psychotic disorders.”

“With overwhelming support from lawmakers and advocacy groups across California, CARE Court will now become a reality in our state, offering hope and a new way forward for thousands of struggling Californians and empowering their loved ones to help,” Newsom said in a statement. “I thank our lawmakers and the broad coalition of partners who made this day possible, and I look forward to our work together to bring this transformative program to communities across California.”

Newsom’s office offered more detail on what the CARE Court will do: “The CARE Court will provide individuals with clinically appropriate, community-based, and court-ordered care plans consisting of culturally and linguistically competent mental health and addiction treatment services. These include medication for short-term stabilization, wellness and recovery support, social services, and housing. Services are provided to the individual while living in the community. Plans can range from 12 to 24 months. In addition to her entire clinical team, the client-centric approach also includes a volunteer supporter who helps individuals make self-directed care decisions and an advocate.”

The Drug Policy Alliance strongly opposed the measure, saying it would “create a civil court system in all counties that would force people with substance use disorders and other mental health problems to undergo an involuntary trial and treatment plan.” “will deprive people of their fundamental right to make their own decisions and force them into court-ordered treatment programs that have been shown to often worsen harm while exacerbating existing health inequalities and the over-representation of people of color in the criminal justice system.”

The Alliance added that the new law “will not be able to meet the urgent needs of our communities or provide a pathway to effective evidence-based treatment, recovery and other health services for homeless Californians with substance abuse disorders.” are struggling or suffer from other mental health issues.” And the group said, despite the bill’s overwhelming support in the California state legislature, “The proposal was rejected by a multitude of supporters who feel it’s a huge step in the wrong direction is.”

Jeannette Zanipatin, California state director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said the CARE Act will have “severe consequences that will harm drug users and marginalized communities in California, rather than investing in the support and services that have a proven track record of helping and keeping people alive.” .”

Zanipatin said Newsom’s signature on the law “demonstrates his ill-conceived support for an inhumane and coercive program that has solid evidence of how counterproductive and harmful it is to both mental health and substance use disorders.”

“We need carefully considered and evidence-based public health solutions to address the crisis we see local people facing, including access to housing, food, job training and voluntary health services,” Zanipatin said.