Conservatorship of S.V. CA1/4

BACKGROUND

In 2017 S.V. was placed on a temporary psychiatric hold under section 5150 and diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. The Contra Costa Regional Medical Center recommended a conservatorship, observing that S.V. was “internally preoccupied, disorganized, and frequently agitated. He typically paces the unit, talking to himself and making threatening, ‘punching’ gestures.” S.V. had no insight into the reasons for his hospitalization, appeared disheveled with poor grooming and hygiene, required frequent doses of emergency medication for symptoms of irritability and agitation, and had no plan to care for himself in the community. Following a 2017 court trial on a conservatorship petition, S.V. was found to be gravely disabled as a result of his mental disorder and a conservator was appointed pursuant to the LPS Act. In 2018 and 2019, due to S.V.’s continuing mental disability, the Contra Costa County Health Services Department (the County) petitioned successfully under section 53612 for one-year

Section 5361 provides that “[c]onservatorship initiated pursuant to this chapter shall automatically terminate one year after the appointment of the conservator by the superior…