CARE Act

Welcome to the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act, qualifying individuals or entities can petition the Superior Court of Kings County to help connect eligible individuals to a broad array of services, including mental health and housing services, via a voluntary CARE Agreement or CARE Plan established and overseen by a judicial officer.

​Who is Eligible to Participate in CARE Act?

Who is eligible to participate in the CARE Act process? Individuals must meet all the following criteria to be eligible for CARE Act:
  • 18 years of age or older.
  • Diagnosed with a disorder within the "schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders" class of disorders and currently experiencing symptoms. *View full list of eligible diagnoses." Go to "Who is eligible to participate in the CARE process?"
  • Not clinically stabilized in ongoing treatment.
  • The individual's mental health is substantially deteriorating, and they are unlikely to survive safely in the community without supervision AND/OR need services and support to prevent relapse and deterioration.
  • Participation in a CARE Plan is the least restrictive alternative and the individual is likely to benefit from participation in a CARE Plan.
The person who is subject to the petition for the CARE Court process is referred to as the "respondent." If you do not meet the requirements above, options for assistance are still available at Kings County Behavioral Health. ​
Who is Eligible to Petition?

Family/Home
  • Person with whom respondent resides
  • Spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandparent or other individual in place of a parent
  • Respondent (i.e., self-petition)
​

​Community
  • First responder (e.g., peace officer, firefighter, paramedic, mobile crisis response, homeless outreach worker)
  • Director of a hospital, or designee, in which respondent is hospitalized (including for Welfare and Institutions Code 5150 and 5250 holds)
  • Licensed behavioral health professional, or designee treating respondent for mental illness
  • Director of a public/charitable organization providing behavioral health services to the respondent in whose institution the respondent resides


​​County
  • County behavioral health director, or designee 
  • Public guardian, or designee
  • Director of adult protective services, or designee


Tribal Jurisdiction
  • Director of a California Indian health services program, California tribal behavioral health department, or designee
  • Judge of a tribal court located in CA, or designee

​How do I file a CARE Act petition?
​Eligible petitioners must complete and submit the following materials to begin the CARE Court process:
  • CARE-100 form AND
  • CARE-101 Mental Health Declaration from a licensed behavioral health provider
    OR Attach evidence, to CARE-100 form, that the person in need of services was detained for a minimum of two periods of intensive treatment (WIC 5250 hold process) and the most recent event occurred within the past 60 days.
    • Please note that the forms are available in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese and English.
  • CARE Act Provider Referral is to be utilized for existing clients.   

​Where do I file a CARE Act petition?
Petitioners have the following options to file CARE Court petitions and supporting documentation:

In person at the location listed below:

​Kings County Superior Court
Self-Help Center
1640 Kings County Drive
Hanford, CA 93230
Phone: 559-582-1010 / Option 8

For more information visit the Kings County Self-Help website at:
https://www.kings.courts.ca.gov/self-help

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What is CARE Act?

How your loved one can qualify for cARE Act

How families can support their loved ones through the CARE Act

The Role of the volunteer supporter in CARE Act
what you can do and what to avoid

the petition process
petition process overview

The CARE Act Process
graduation and next steps