SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California's governor says the state should lower the legal bar for providing forced treatment to the mentally ill and building more homeless shelters.
While the homeless population in most states have decline recently, the number of people living on California's streets jumped 16% last year. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom recently said he wants to change the state's behavioral health system to help address the problem. It would involve taking a broader approach to address not just mental well-being but also interrelated physical challenges such as drug and alcohol abuse or poor diet and exercise.
During his address, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday took the unusual step of devoting most of his second State of the State address to the intertwined issues of homelessness and housing. Newsom proposed lowering the threshold for conservatorships for those with mental illnesses, particularly for those experiencing homelessness who turn down medical aid. He says California must act while still respecting civil liberties.
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