California governor: Lower bar for forced mental health care

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)

UPDATE 2/19/2020 11:20 a.m. California's governor says the state should lower the legal bar for providing forced treatment to the mentally ill and building more homeless shelters.

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. While homeless populations in most states have declined recently, California's jumped 16% last year.

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.

PREVIOUS STORY: https://livestream.com/accounts/25723746/events/8522569/videos/202072048 California's governor is expected to call for better mental health care to help the state's huge homeless population when he addresses one of the state's most pressing problems in his second State of the State speech.

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.

Newsom's address is set for mid-morning Wednesday in the ornate Assembly Chambers.