On Jan. 1, 2026, the Los Angeles County Departments of Mental Health (LACDMH) and Public Health will implement Senate Bill (SB) 43, the law that expands the definition of “gravely disabled” under California’s Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act.
Under the expanded definition, individuals may now be considered “gravely disabled” if they have a severe substance use disorder, including both a co-occurring mental health and severe substance use condition and are unable to provide for their basic personal needs, including food, clothing and shelter. The revised criteria also incorporate considerations related to personal safety and necessary medical care.
“The county-wide implementation of Senate Bill 43 is a positive step for providing hope and well-being to some of our most vulnerable and highest-risk Los Angeles County residents,” said LACDMH Director Lisa H. Wong, Psy.D.
SB 43 passed in 2023 as part of a statewide effort to modernize California’s mental health and substance use disorder services. It amends the LPS Act to provide expanded care to individuals facing mental health and severe substance use challenges.
“Senate Bill 43 is an opportunity to support the diverse needs of our residents,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., director of the LA County Department of Public Health. “We look forward to working with our partners at the Department of Mental Health to ensure we provide connections to lifesaving services to the vulnerable people we serve.”
LACDMH and Public Health have launched a dedicated webpage with downloadable materials, social media outreach and community presentations to inform the public of these changes. Materials are available in a variety of threshold languages, including English, Spanish, Korean, Armenian, Tagalog and traditional and simplified Chinese.
For more information about SB 43 and the LPS Act, go to www.dmh.lacounty.gov/sb-43.