Among the 2,167 bills we are reviewing are several dealing with mental health and homelessness. Recently the Newsom Administration issued a proposal to establish CARE (Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment) Courts “to deliver behavioral health services to severely ill and vulnerable individuals while preserving self determination and community living.” Yesterday we joined a webinar about CARE and will be paying close attention going forward.
We don’t pretend to be experts in mental health or homelessness but neither are legislators nor the governor and together they are already spending more than $20 billion per year on those subjects without much to show for it. If ever you needed another reminder about the importance of the legislature — just in case its authority over 29 codes governing everything from K-12, public health, prisons, UC and CSU to courts, employment, business, occupational licensing, environmental protection, food production and much more isn’t already convincing enough — just take a look at California’s streets.
If you want high quality government services at reasonable costs to taxpayers, you have to become a muscular force in Sacramento and pay persistent attention to the Legislature. That’s what we do. Your participation is appreciated.
