Future Policies and Proposals

California is one of the country's most populated states with unhoused people who have been affected by mental illness, drug addiction, and homelessness (e.g., not being able to afford housing). This page provides an overview of programs that are currently being used or could be used in the future to combat homelessness. These include a $12 billion investment plan towards homelessness (State of CA), the court can now enforce an individual to receive services and treatment (Hubler, S., 2023), improving Medi-Cal (Turk, K., 2023), and additional tactics that would benefit our state (Streeter, J., 2022).

CARE Act

(Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment)

A New Approach for People with Severe Mental IllnessHubler, S. (2023, September 29). A new approach for people with severe mental illness. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/29/us/state-courts-mental-illness.html#:~:text=Roughly%20a%20third%20of%20the,in%20the%20state’s%20homelessness%20crisis

An infographic explaining the steps a person would take under the Care Act. Source: Care act. California Health and Human Services. (2023, October 18). https://www.chhs.ca.gov/care-act/

Shawn Hubler–a former reporter, columnist, and magazine for the Los Angeles Times–current journalist working for the New York Times, informs about a new program known as the CARE (Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment) Court that will provide the necessary treatment and medication to California’s homeless population with severe mental illness. The CARE Court program is intended to inform residents of California, social workers, mental health professionals, and any other resource programs of the change the state is seeking to improve the quality of life for those with severe mental illness. This approach is only applicable to those who have not received treatment for schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. Due to some individuals refusing care, now this approach can allow the court to order them to be hospitalized or appoint a conservator who will be responsible for making medical and financial decisions for them. CARE Court has taken effect since October 2nd, 2023 in seven of the 58 counties in California, which include: San Francisco, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Stanislaus, Glenn and Tuolumne; however, Los Angeles County starts the program in December. Despite the new program seeking to change behavioral health policy, it has drawn controversy from advocates–for people with disabilities and civil rights groups–for violating due process and equal protection rights as unconstitutional.

(Andrea Polo Alcantara)

Expanding Medi-Cal

CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal)

CalAIM: A New Era for Medi-CalTurk , K. (2023, April 13). Calaim: A new era for Medi-Cal. Medium. https://techleadership.medium.com/calaim-a-new-era-for-medi-cal-ec0396b5c3c8

Khalid Turk, a current member from Medium since 2023 and Chief Healthcare Information Technology Officer at the County of Santa Clara, announces the new Medi-Cal program called CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal) that aims to provide the utmost best quality of healthcare and service for Californians--including individuals who are homeless or at-risk of being homeless. CalAIM strives to improve the behavioral health system--which includes a wider range of access to mental health and substance use disorder services, add new dental benefits, further assistance with non-medical needs (e.g., housing, respite care, and sober centers), and strengthen management care. However, the program does face a few challenges: this is a huge investment that requires the state to consider how it will collect funds, and the state will need to actively analyze how effective the program is, and if all the goals are being met.

(Andrea Polo Alcantara)

The 3 key intentions of CalAim.

Source: Turk , K. (2023, April 13). Calaim: A new era for Medi-Cal. Medium. https://techleadership.medium.com/calaim-a-new-era-for-medi-cal-ec0396b5c3c8

Newsom's CA Comeback Plan

$100 Billion Investment To Address Challenges

California roars back: Governor Newsom signs $100 billion California comeback plan to accelerate state’s recovery and tackle persistent challengesCalifornia, S. of. (2021, July 13). California roars back: Governor Newsom signs $100 billion California comeback plan to accelerate state’s recovery and tackle persistent challenges. California Governor. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/07/12/california-roars-back-governor-newsom-signs-100-billion-california-comeback-plan-to-accelerate-states-recovery-and-tackle-persistent-challenges/#:~:text=This%20transformative%20budget%20includes%20the,the%20state’s%20most%20persistent%20challenges.

Infographic on the plan of how the funds will be distributed towards homelessness.Source:https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/HOMELESSNESS-CRISIS-FACT-SHEET.pdf

In the article, California Roars Back: Governor Newsom Signs $100 Billion California Comeback Plan to Accelerate State’s Recovery and Tackle Persistent Challenges, published by the office of Gavin Newsom addresses a state budget agreement signed by the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, of a statewide economic recovery that will allow our communities to regain relief from the pandemic. Areas of interest for recovery are: providing immediate relief to Californians hit hardest by the pandemic, confronting homelessness and the housing affordability crisis, transforming public schools into gateways of opportunity, wildfire and emergency preparedness, and building climate resilience in the face of more extreme cycles of wet and dry. Although $100 billion will be the most historical investment in the state of California, $12 billion will go directly to combat the homeless crisis.

(Andrea Polo Alcantara)

Suggested Considerations

The line graph shows the comparison of homelessness over time by state. California continues to have the highest # of homelessness since 2007.

(Source: Homelessness in California Causes and Policy Considerations, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy and Research (2022) https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/homelessness-california-causes-and-policy-considerations.)

Homelessness in California: Causes and Policy Considerations

Streeter, J. (2022, May 10). Homelessness in California: Causes and policy considerations. Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR). https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/homelessness-california-causes-and-policy-considerations.

Jialu Streeter writes an informative policy brief focused on how unaffordable housing, severe mental illness, substance abuse and crime contributes to the rising homeless population in Northern California and Southern California cities. Streeter is a Research Scholar and the Director of Partnerships at Stanford University’s Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) and focuses her work on the economics of aging and mental well-being in older adults. The intended audience is directed towards policymakers, journalists, professors, students and anyone with a passion for economic research in pressing policy issues. She highlights the impact deinstitutionalization had on the increase in the homelessness community due to the inadequate community-based care and shortage of psychiatric beds for the mentally ill. Streeter mentions policies passed on reforming the criminal justice system (Realignment Act and Proposition 47) that created more consequences for homeless people seeking substance abuse treatment. Streeter ends her overview with her own list of research-supported policy considerations in tackling the homelessness crisis in California. Streeter’s mental health policy recommendation of CARE Court will now be implemented this Fall/Winter of 2023. This is seen through Shawn Hubler’s 2023 report on the program that targets untreated schizophrenia and psychotic disorders in order to prevent the risk of homelessness.

(Drew Barajas)

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