"CARE Court: California's Controversial Mental Health Program Set to Launch in October"
California will launch civil CARE Courts in eight counties this fall, allowing family members and first responders to request court-ordered treatment for individuals with psychotic illness, even if they are not homeless or have not committed a crime. The program aims to provide care to those who refuse help, but it has faced opposition from disability rights groups who argue that compelling individuals into mental health care violates civil rights. Orange County, which expects 900 to 1,500 residents to be eligible for CARE Court annually, is striving to create a patient-focused and non-coercive process, similar to its other collaborative courts. The goal is to find treatment plans that individuals accept voluntarily, before resorting to court orders.