Earlier this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law mandating medical treatment for some people with untreated mental disorders, a law aimed specifically at California’s homeless population.
The law expands California’s conservatorship system, which currently permits courts to order people into treatment if they are “a danger to themselves or others,” and redefines those who can’t care for themselves to include those with untreated addictions or mental health disorders.
Many of those who suffer from addictions or mental health disorders are also living on the streets.
“I’ve been here for seven years. I know a lot of people homeless and non-homeless, you know. You become a family, so to speak,” said Brian Brewer of San Luis Obispo.
While Brewer has lived in this location for seven years, he’s been on the streets for 12, while battling a heroin addiction.
Clean now but still sleeping on the streets of downtown SLO, Brewer feels personally affected by this new law.
“Crazy or not we have the freedom to live, to be like this. Or those people that don’t even have a blanket but they choose to walk around with a pipe and a lighter, they have that freedom. And as long as they’re not hurting somebody, you know, that’s one thing,” Brewer said.
However, he sees certain exceptions where the mandate could be necessary.
“There’s people that are very violent that when they do drugs, they get really crazy. Now those people need to be committed,” Brewer said.
Given that this law is so new, homeless service organizations like ECHO in Paso Robles are still learning how this new policy will be implemented.
“We know that it could affect our population," said Austin Solhein, Director of Operations at ECHO-Paso Robles. "As long as we can just be part of that conversation and continue to see how this law, how this tool can be used, I think all of us are just waiting to kind of see more of the details.”
While this new law isn’t enforceable until 2024, counties have the option to wait until 2026 to enforce it if they so choose, giving individuals and shelters more time to adapt.
