Early October is the planned launch date for the CARE Court Orange County, which is designed to assist Californians dealing with homelessness and mental health issues.
Orange County Health Care Agency (Photo: newsroom)
CARE Court Orange County
There are no bounds to Elaine Huber’s affection for her family.
It has been challenging, she added, to see her son battle bipolar disorder since he graduated from high school.
He was an athlete and highly well-liked, Huber added. “He was the kid that we want, I mean, he was the kid that pretty much every parent would want.”
The mother from Irvine is devoted to ensuring that her now 27-year-old son, whose identity we are withholding per her request, has the support he requires.
“They are unable to make rational decisions about their health when they have these symptoms,” Huber added.
CARE Court Orange County is one of the seven counties implementing the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act’s new CARE Court program.
It was created to assist those who struggle with mental illness, and drug addiction, and may frequently be facing homelessness.
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CARE Court Orange County Aims To Help People Struggling With Serious Mental Illnesses
The National Alliance on Mental Illness Orange County board president, Steve Pitman, stated, “The mistake is to think that CARE Court Orange County will fix all the problems. It’s not. What I’d like to say is that it’s another arrow in the quiver and it’s necessary.”
CARE Court Orange County enables individuals, including family members, to ask a civil court to get involved. A judge may then mandate that they participate in services and treatment offered in the community.
Pitman stated that the 24-month maximum duration of the court-ordered care plan.
Pitman added, “We don’t exactly know how it’s going to work, but there’s certainly the belief that it’s going to help some people solve some problems.”
He added that the voluntary nature of CARE Court makes it difficult for families to support their loved ones.
Pitman stated, “There is a desire on our part to compel someone to receive treatment, but in the long run, if it is not voluntary, it won’t work.”
The initiative will hopefully give Huber another tool to support her son.
My kid wouldn’t be where he is today if I hadn’t been aggressively campaigning for him, the woman said, adding that this sickness necessitates having someone speak up for you.
