Loading…
CARE Court petitions accepted from December 1st, 2024, filed at the Downieville Courthouse, through mail or through eFiling, with no filing fee; CARE Act petitions, reports and proceedings confidential and not open to the public; each petition packet with Form CARE-100 and Form CARE-101 - or evidence that the respondent was detained for a minimum of two intensive treatments, the most recent one within the previous 60 days (WIC 5975(d)(2)) - and a self-addressed and stamped envelope for mailing out the determination; the CARE Court calendar heard at the Downieville Courthouse, 100 Courthouse Square; questions to the Court Clerk at 530-289-3698 for an appointment with the Court's Self-Help Attorney / Family Law Facilitator; the eligibility criteria, the petitioners and the process under the CARE Act.
California > Third Appellate District > Sierra County > Superior Court of California, County of Sierra
About CARE Court The Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act was written into law through the Senate Bill 1338, which added Welfare and Institution Code Sections 5970-5987 and sets out the general provision, process, and additional details for the implementation of CARE Act. The CARE Act allows people, called "petitioners" to request voluntary treatment and other services for themselves or another person, called "respondents", who have untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. It creates a new pathway to connect eligible individuals to treatment and services by focusing on promoting long term recovery through a court process. The CARE Court calendar will be heard at the Downieville Courthouse, located at 100 Courthouse Square, Downieville, CA. RESOURCES California Courts Self Help Center California Courts Instructional Materials Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California Adult Civil Mental Health | Judicial Branch of California CARE Act Resource Center (care-act.org) CARE Act - NAMI California CARE Act Fact Sheet Glossary of CARE Act Terminology CARE Act Eligiblity CARE Act Eligibility Criteria Video A video by California Courts How to File CARE Petitions Petitions may be filed at the Downieville Courthouse, as well as through mail and eFiling. There is no filing fee for initiation of a CARE Act case. CARE Act petitions, reports, and proceedings are confidential and not open to the public. Each petition packet must include: 1. Form CARE-100 (CARE-100 Petition to Commence CARE Act Proceedings) 2. Form Care-101 (CARE-101 Mental Health Declaration- CARE Act Proceedings) OR Evidence that the respondent was detained for a minimum of two intensive treatments, with the most recent one within the previous 60 days (per WIC code section 5975(d)(2)). 3. Self-addressed and stamped envelope for mailing out determination. For a complete list of CARE Act Forms, please visit the Judicial Council Self-Help Website. Self-Help Assistance with CARE Act Filings For questions or assistance with filing CARE Act petitions and forms, please contact the Court Clerk at 530-289-3698 weekdays between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for instructions on how to contact the Court's Self-Help Attorney / Family Law Facilitator for an appointment. LOCATION AND HOURS 100 Courthouse Square Second Floor Downieville, CA 95936 Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please make an appointment to reserve the self-help computer space by calling (530) 993-1110. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for CARE Court Below are some "Frequently Asked Questions" to assist in determining eligibility, who can be a petitioner, and what services can be offered. When will Sierra Superior Court start accepting CARE Court Petitions? Sierra Superior Court will start accepting CARE Court Petitions on December 1st, 2024 Who is eligible for Care Court? To be eligible for CARE Act proceedings, the individual must meet all of the following criteria: Be 18 years old or older Have a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorder Be currently experiencing a mental illness that is severe in degree and persistent in duration, which may cause behavioral functioning which interferes substantially with the primary activities of daily living, and which may result in an inability to maintain a stable adjustment and independent functioning without treatment, support, and rehabilitation for a long or indefinite period of time. Not currently clinically stabilized in an on-going voluntary treatment program CARE would be the least restrictive alternative to ensure the person's recovery and stability Be likely to benefit from participation in CARE Meet one of the following: The person is unlikely to survive safely in the community without supervision and the person's condition is substantially deteriorating. The person is in need of services and support in order to prevent a relapse or deterioration that would likely result in grave disability or serious harm to the person or others, as defined in Section 5150 What are "CARE-Eligible" Diagnoses? Schizophrenia spectrum disorders include: Schizophrenia Schizoaffective Disorder Schizophreniform Disorder Other Specified Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorder Unspecified Schizophrenia Spectrum Other psychotic disorders include: Brief Psychotic Disorder Delusional Disorder Schizotypal Personality Disorder Substance Medication Induced Psychotic Disorder Catatonia Assiciated with Another Mental Disorder Unspecified Catatonia Psychiatric diagnoses that do not meet eligibility requirements: Psychotic Disorder Due to a General Medical Condition Catatonia Associated with Another Medical Condition Major Depression with Psychotic Features Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic Features Any other Substance-Related Disorder not listed above Who can be a "Petitioner" for CARE Court To be a petitioner, you must be 18 years of age or older. You can be related to the respondent or be the director of an agency who has had a frequent contact with the respondent due to their mental health disorder. You must fall within one of the following categories to be able to request CARE Act proceedings for a respondent: A person who lives with the respondent A spouse or registered domestic partner, parent, sibling, child, or grandparent of the respondent A person who stands in the place of a parent to the respondent The director of certain county agencies, specifically adult protective services, a county behavioral health agency, or the public guardian or public conservator, or that person's designee The director of a hospital, or their designee, in which the respondent is or was recently hospitalized A licensed behavioral health professional or director of a public or charitable agency, who is currently or has been recently treating, or supervising the treatment of, or providing behavioral health services for the respondent within the last 30 days. A first responder who has had repeated interactions with the respondent A judge of a tribal court located in California, before which the respondent has appeared within the previous 30 days, or the judge's designee The director of a California Indian health services program or a California tribal behavioral health department, who has, within the previous 30 days, provided or who is currently providing behavioral health services to the respondent, or the director's designee The respondent themself What mental health conditions and disorders are not eligible for CARE Court? Certain conditions and disorders are excluded, including: Serious mental illnesses outside of psychotic disorder class, including bipolar disorder, major depression, and post-trauma stress disorder Psychotic disorders due to medical conditions, such as traumatic brain injury, autism, dementia, or other physical health or neurological conditions Substance use disorder that does not otherwise meet the definition of a psychotic disorder What rights to Petitioners have? Respondents have the right to be informed of the proceedings and receive notice of all hearings, take part in the proceedings (including to present evidence, call and cross-examine witnesses, and appeal decisions), be represented in all stages of the process regardless of their ability to pay, replace the court-appointed attorney with an attorney of their choosing, have the supporter of their choosing throughout the process, and to receive a copy of the petition and any court-ordered evaluations or reports. The respondent also has the right to an interpreter in all proceedings if necessary for the respondent to fully participate. If the respondent requires disability accommodations, requests can be made with the court. Will CARE Act proceedings expose confidential information? All reports, evaluations, diagnoses, documents, and filings submitted during CARE Act proceedings are confidential. CARE Act hearings are also closed to the public unless the court orders otherwise. What is a "CARE Agreement"? A CARE agreement is a voluntary settlement agreement entered into by the respondent and the county behavioral health agency after a court has found that the respondent is eligible for the CARE process. The CARE agreement will include an individualized range of community-based services and supports that can consist of clinical services: behavioral health care; counseling; specialized psychotherapies, programs and treatments; stabilization medications; a housing plan; and other supports and services provided directly and indirectly through a local government entity. What is a "CARE Plan"? A CARE plan is a court-ordered plan that includes the same elements as a CARE agreement. If a CARE agreement is not reached and a clinical evaluation indicates that the respondent meets the criteria, the court will order the creation of a CARE plan, which will include an individualized range of community-based services and supports. Stabilization medications may only be included in a CARE plan if the respondent is found to lack capacity and may not be forcibly administered. What happens during the CARE Act process? The court reviews petitions to determine if a respondent likely meets the criteria for the CARE Act. Depending on the determination, the court will either dismiss the petition, order a report from a county agency, or set an initial court appearance. If the case is not dismissed, the court will appoint an attorney for the respondent. If the court finds a respondent meets the CARE Act requirements, the court will order the county behavioral health agency to work with the respondent, their attorney, and their supporter (if they have one), to determine if a CARE agreement will be possible. If it is determined that a CARE agreement is not likely to be reached, then there will be a clinical evaluation followed by a hearing to review that clinical evaluation. If the clinical evaluation finds that the respondent is eligible, a CARE plan will be developed and reviewed in a hearing. There will then be a status review hearing at least every 60 days. At month 11, there will be a one-year status review hearing to determine next steps, including graduation, electing to remain in the CARE process (for up to one additional year) or reappointment (which can only happen once).
About CARE Court The Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act was written into law through the Senate Bill 1338, which added Welfare and Institution Code Sections 5970-5987 and sets out the general provision, process, and additional details for the implementation of CARE Act. The CARE Act allows people, called "petitioners" to request voluntary treatment and other services for th
Reviewer note: Composed 2026-10-12 (California T4 Sierra build 2026-10-12) from BenchPath custody ca/t4/ca-sierra/pages/self-help__care-court.html (the page as fetched 2026-10-12; 641309 bytes, sha256 518aafaf9bf4b66113c288261d5884f688dfcc5602487ab1654b2fbbb81c0fe8) with the Orange HTML composer (compose-site.py, the Judicial Council theme's area): the article's content sections (section.jcc-section), news bodies (div.jcc-news-full) and title banners (div.jcc-hero; the first banner's heading, the page title, is chrome) - the site header, menus, breadcrumb and footer lie outside them; each block starts a line and each table cell is set on its own line; chrome removed: 1 item (the page title); proof (the multiset of non-space characters equals the containers' text less chrome and scripts) passes.
6 verbatim requirements on divisional requirements in GIUSEPPINA MIRANDA's division.
4 verbatim requirements on divisional requirements in HILARY CREARY's division.
2 verbatim requirements on divisional requirements in NATASHA DEPRIMO's division.