County supervisors on Tuesday voted to endorse Gov. Gavin Newsom’s framework for a new state system to connect vulnerable Californians with serious mental illnesses with court-ordered care.
Nathan Fletcher, who chairs the county board, and Vice Chair Nora Vargas said they introduced the Tuesday resolution to allow the county to publicly back the controversial policy pitch and push for funding, workforce development aid and other elements they believe are needed to make so-called CARE courts a success.
County supervisors unanimously approved the Tuesday action with Supervisor Joel Anderson, who represents East County communities, absent.
The supervisors are the latest San Diego politicos to get behind the reform proposal. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria has been a vocal supporter and has also rallied behind separate efforts to reform the state’s conservatorship process.
But Newsom’s Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Court isn’t universally supported. Some homeless advocates and civil and disability rights groups have flagged concerns about potential forced treatment and whether there are adequate resources to shelter and house those enrolled in the system.
Some local government and behavioral health organizations have also questioned whether the state will adequately fund services and new responsibilities tied to the proposed reforms.
- County supervisors on Tuesday also approved a plan to offer $10 million in grants to cities throughout the county to help them create new shelters, safe camping or parking areas and tiny home plots.
The Day in Women’s Health Advocacy News
On Tuesday, the San Diego City Council approved a resolution declaring the city a “safe city for reproductive freedom and access to abortion” while county supervisors backed a resolution to support plans to amend the state constitution to include the right to an abortion. (City News Service, 10 News)
- A new Scripps Health program called “My Brain and My Baby” will expand access to therapists for mothers experiencing high-risk pregnancies following a mental health diagnosis. (KPBS)
- San Diego County is expanding a program providing free menstrual pads and tampons. (Times of San Diego)
In Other News
- San Diego Community College District chancellor Carlos Cortez announced the cancellation this week of an investiture event meant to celebrate his appointment to the district’s head role. The event, originally scheduled to take place May 31 at Petco Park, was canceled following weeks of controversy surrounding antisemitism in the work of keynote speaker Alice Walker. In a statement emailed district-wide, Cortez apologized for any pain caused to members of the district’s community.
- Inewsource revealed that federal immigration officials are now tracking more than 5,000 people facing deportation in San Diego and Imperial counties using under-the-radar smartphone technology.
- The San Diego Unified School District is signaling to parents that it may resume its indoor mask mandate. (NBC 7)
- A working paper from researchers at the San Francisco Federal Reserve and UC San Diego suggests increased remote work explains “at least one half of the 24% increase” in American home prices between December 2019 and November 2021.
- The San Diego City Council approved new rules for electric scooters that prohibit sidewalk usage, demand scooters be parked in city-painted corrals and require operators to handle complaints about their scooters within one hour. (Union-Tribune)
- Did you know there are tennis courts atop the San Diego Convention Center? Turns out they’ve been closed for more than a decade. (CBS 8)
This Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt. It was edited by Megan Wood.