LA County Delays Rollout Of New Law That Expands Criteria For Involuntary Treatment

Los Angeles County supervisors voted Tuesday to delay implementation of new legislation that expands the definitions by which people living with mental illness and substance use issues can be held against their will.

Supervisors voted 4-1 to delay implementation until January 2026.

Senate Bill 43, which easily cleared the state legislature in September and was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October, changed state law to allow people living with a serious mental illness or severe substance use disorder who are unable to provide for their personal safety or medical care to be deemed “gravely disabled” and held against their will.

But supervisors and officials raised several concerns about whether the county would be ready to implement the expanded criteria by next year. While she shared some of the concerns raised, Supervisor Janice Hahn was the lone “no” vote on the measure, stating that the status quo was “unacceptable” and calling for more urgency from county departments.

Board Chair Lindsey Horvath, the author of the motion, said it was “absolutely absurd” that the county would be expected to implement SB 43 by January without the right support.

“Our health care facilities are not prepared for the magnitude of what this response could look like,” Horvath said.

Among other concerns, county officials raised questions about whether the behavioral health infrastructure is ready for the new law.

“We have a very impacted system already,” Lisa Wong, director of the county Department of Mental Health told supervisors. “So if we further bring in this expanded population, it’s going to cause even more of a bottleneck.”

Gary Tsai, director of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control at the county Department of Health, pointed out that there is currently no model for involuntary care for people living with substance use issues. Tsai said that infrastructure would need to be built out in order for the county to put the new law into effect and provide appropriate care.

In a statement after the motion passed, Hahn said there are people who need treatment now who will not last beyond the two-year delay.

“I want to see a sense of urgency from our County departments. I think we can get this done sooner and I want to see us try," Hahn said.

Many family members who have loved ones struggling with mental health and substance use issues see the new law as a long-delayed lifeline and want to see it implemented as soon as possible.

Groups like Disability Rights California have strongly opposed SB 43, claiming it “takes resources away from community-based services and housing to fund locked institutions, disproportionately impacts communities of color, and makes it harder to fight conservatorship.”

After the vote on Tuesday, L.A. joins the majority of counties in the state that have chosen to delay implementation of the new criteria. San Francisco is expected to roll out the new law in January.