SF could soon join NY in giving agencies more power to hospitalize mentally ill without consent

SACRAMENTO – After New York Metropolis introduced an initiative that might give metropolis companies extra leeway to involuntarily hospitalize mentally ailing folks, even when they don’t pose an instantaneous hazard, San Francisco could possibly be following go well with.

In 2022 an estimated 9,300 folks expertise homelessness in Sacramento County at any given time and the Sacramento Regional Coalition to Finish Homelessness is working to vary that.

“We all know involuntary dedication does not work. What actually works is when it is voluntary when the individual is invested,” says Bob Erlenbusch, the Director of the Sacramento Regional Coalition To Finish Homelessness.

The Mayor of New York Metropolis is contemplating an initiative that might give metropolis companies the facility to involuntarily hospitalize severely mentally ailing folks even when they don’t seem to pose an instantaneous hazard to others — and now San Francisco could possibly be following go well with.

“In different phrases, a maintain in opposition to their will,” says Erlenbusch, who’s involved that if San Francisco implements the protocol, Sacramento could also be shut behind.

“Apparently SF is contemplating following the trail of NYC to permit first responders…to commit homeless folks and folks with psychological well being points. That is not the reply,” says Erlenbusch.

However UC Hastings legislation professor John Myers says the legal guidelines are technically already in place.

“What New York is doing is saying they are going to permit police to be concerned in making choices to get therapy for folks unable to offer for themselves. That is nothing new,” says Myers.

In California, police and psychological well being professionals can place an individual on an emergency 72-hour maintain or 5150 in the event that they pose a hazard to themselves or others. The brand new potential protocol might permit holds even when there is no such thing as a menace.

“It’s going to put strain on the psychological well being system to offer extra and higher providers to those people,” Says Myers.

CBS13 reached out to Metropolis of Sacramento leaders to ask in the event that they’d think about the brand new initiative too. Mayor Steinberg tells us he is dedicated to discovering housing and sources for the unhoused group.

CBS13 additionally reached out to the governor’s workplace to ask concerning the implementation of this potential new protocol however didn’t instantly hear again.