What is Senate Bill 43?
Senate Bill (SB) 43 expands the authority of the law governing mental health commitment (the Lanterman-Petris-Short or LPS Act) to include application to individuals with severe substance use disorders (SUD). The law states that individuals with severe SUD who meet criteria, including inability to take care of medical needs to prevent serious harm, can be placed on involuntary holds of 72-hours or longer, and can also potentially be placed on conservatorship for multiple years.
All Counties are required to “implement" this law no later than January 1, 2026.
Each county has flexibility regarding when this law should be implemented. Sacramento County will implement SB 43 on January 1, 2025. Implementation is complex and involves multiple systems. To have a thoughtful implementation, Division of Behavioral Health Services is engaging with system partners in a collaborative process to determine how this law could be best applied in Sacramento. Gaps in service and workforce are being identified and discussed collaboratively throughout County and system partners.
Community Info Session:
Behavioral Health Services held a SB 43 Community Info Session (BHS SB 43 Info Session Flyer) on October 18, 2024, from 1 - 2:30 PM. The recorded session and materials are now available to be viewed:
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