Document Type
Capstone Experience
Graduation Date
12-2023
Degree Name
Master of Public Health
Department
Health Services Research & Administration
First Committee Member
Stephen M. Peters, MA
Second Committee Member
Rachel Lookadoo, JD
Third Committee Member
Michelle Strong, PhD, MPH
Abstract
In 2022, California passed a legislative bill, SB 1338: the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, which created a new statewide procedure for treating mentally ill homeless adults diagnosed with psychotic disorders through a court-ordered CARE plan. SB 1338 intends to alleviate the mental health and homeless crisis. This capstone project provides an early assessment of SB 1338 using a modified formative policy evaluation methodology, including a scoping literature review and applying a policy assessment using the CDC's Policy Evaluation Framework. A stakeholder survey was also applied to gather stakeholders' perspectives on SB 1338. The literature review supported the stakeholders' perspectives that SB 1338 is a complex process and uncovers potential limitations to the policy that may detract from SDH and equitability. Moreover, this review modestly validates that SB 1338 is another ambitious policy that may increase complexity toward avenues of treatment while applying a judicial structural process that may not resolve the root cause of mental illness and homelessness. This work endeavored to contribute valuable insights to the ongoing policy discourse, fostering evidence-based decision-making. Understanding SB 1338 and the elements of MHCs can influence future policy changes to achieve equitability of mental health programs.
Recommended Citation
Lang, Adelina Mercedes, "A Policy Evaluation for California’s CARE Act and the Application of the Social Determinants of Health" (2023). Capstone Experience. 313.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/coph_slce/313
Included in
Clinical Psychology Commons, Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons, Health Policy Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Public Health Commons, Public Policy Commons, Social Justice Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons