SB-823 • 2026

Mental health: the CARE Act.

Education Housing

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Stern
Last action: 2026-02-02
Official status: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Mental health: the CARE Act.

SB 823, as introduced, Stern.

What This Bill Does

SB 823, as introduced, Stern.
Mental health: the CARE Act.
Existing law, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, authorizes specified adult persons to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan and implement services, to be provided by county behavioral health agencies, to provide behavioral health care, including stabilization medication, housing, and other enumerated services, to adults who are currently experiencing a severe mental illness and have a diagnosis identified in the disorder class schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and who meet other specified criteria.
This bill would include bipolar I disorder in the criteria for a person to receive services under the CARE Act.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-02-02 California Legislative Information
Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
2025-05-16 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 23.
2025-04-28 California Legislative Information
April 28 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-17 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 28.
2025-04-10 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 738.) (April 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-02 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 9.
2025-03-12 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-02-24 California Legislative Information
Read first time.
2025-02-24 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.
2025-02-21 California Legislative Information
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 823, as introduced, Stern.
Mental health: the CARE Act.
Existing law, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, authorizes specified adult persons to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan and implement services, to be provided by county behavioral health agencies, to provide behavioral health care, including stabilization medication, housing, and other enumerated services, to adults who are currently experiencing a severe mental illness and have a diagnosis identified in the disorder class schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and who meet other specified criteria.
This bill would include bipolar I disorder in the criteria for a person to receive services under the CARE Act. By increasing the duties on the county behavioral health agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

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