Khamis applauds Newsom's statewide proposal to increase mental health and addiction care

Former San Jose councilmember and current leading candidate for D1 County Supervisor Johnny Khamis has long pushed for increased services for our neighbors suffering from mental illness and addiction concerns. He finds a lot to like in Governor Newsom's new CARE proposal, which pushes more people with severe mental health and addiction issues into court-ordered treatment.

Opportunity Now: Newsom's CARE proposal echoes many sentiments you have been making over the years. What is your take on his proposal?

Johnny Khamis: It's a solution outside the current thinking--and I really like that. He is including drug addiction in his plan, which is spot-on, because addiction has a lot to do with our state's mental health crisis. The proposal extends court-mandated treatment and conservatorship from its current 180 days to 365 days. It also gives funding for new facilities, which is important because the county doesn't have one. And it includes $14bn for 55,000 supportive housing for this group and $10 billion in annual mental health and drug addiction services. But the main change is the CARE court which is a powerful tool to help service the resistant homeless. It gives families more latitude to help their afflicted members.

ON: What areas are there for concern?

JK: The people who are opposed to this will try to frame it as an attack on afflicted people's civil rights. Let me be candid: the fact of the matter is that many of our neighbors suffering from addiction and mental health issues do not have full agency. These people are suffering; they are dying on the streets. They are catching terrible diseases, often contracted because of the terrible conditions they're living in along creek beds and in parking lots and sidewalks. This can't go on, our society should not allow people to suffer like this, and Gov. Newsom's plan is a substantial step in the right direction.

ON: Why is this a state issue and not a county issue?

JK: Because it's state laws that don't allow for conservatorship in California. The current conservatorship laws make it very difficult for family members and the state to get control over these people that need help. Laura's Law opened it up some, this new proposal opens it up some more.

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