Marin County just earned the title of CARE Champion for its work with the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act. This program connects people with untreated schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders to treatment, housing, and long-term support, all through a civil court–guided care plan.
Governor Gavin Newsom gave Marin this statewide recognition, putting the county in the top tier for per-capita CARE Act implementation. From San Rafael to Novato and Sausalito, communities are working together to coordinate mental health, housing, and public safety services.
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Here in Marin, you’ll see the CARE Court rollout in places like Fairfax, Kentfield, Mill Valley, and Tiburon. The focus is on a proactive approach—trying to prevent crises and helping people navigate complicated systems with real support.
Marin County earns CARE Champion status: what it means locally
Throughout Marin, this CARE recognition signals a real shift toward long-term, person-centered care. In the first year of statewide participation, Marin landed in the top 10 counties for per-capita implementation.
Thousands of Californians have connected to behavioral health services thanks to CARE petitions and diversions. The emphasis? Not just treatment, but housing navigation, case management, and coordinated support from San Anselmo to Corte Madera and beyond.
How CARE works in Marin: a coordinated, court-guided path to stability
At its core, CARE teams link people with untreated psychiatric disorders to treatment, housing, and social supports through a court-guided plan. In Marin, the county Department of Health and Human Services, the Superior Court, the Public Defender’s Office, local service providers, and community partners all work together—everywhere from Marin City to Fairfax, Larkspur to Point Reyes Station.
Marin launched CARE Court in December 2024, aiming to remove barriers and meet clients where they are. Whether someone’s in San Rafael, Novato, or tucked away in Mill Valley, the goal is the same: help them stabilize and recover.
Judge James Schurz, who leads CARE Court, says the program offers comprehensive treatment within a court-supervised pathway to stability and recovery. Public Defender David Joseph Sutton sees real potential here to divert people with mental illness out of the criminal system and into long-term care, hopefully cutting down on repeat court involvement.
Key elements guiding Marin’s CARE approach include:
- Comprehensive treatment plans and court supervision that coordinate mental health care, medication management, and therapy.
- Housing navigation and supportive services to connect clients with safe, stable places to live in communities like Sausalito, Tiburon, and San Anselmo.
- Case management and system navigation that make it easier for residents in need—from Kentfield to Ross to Bolinas—to get help.
- Diversions and service linkages that keep people engaged in treatment instead of cycling through the criminal system.
- Collaborations with local providers and partners across cities to keep a strong behavioral health continuum going—from Mill Valley to San Rafael.
Leadership, collaboration, and the Marin impact
Marin’s CARE work shows a real commitment to keeping people out of crisis—and out of homelessness—whenever possible. The county brings together resources from the Public Defender’s Office, the Superior Court, and a wide network of service providers stretching from the Marin Headlands to Novato’s flats.
In towns known for their charm—Tiburon’s hills, the downtowns of Corte Madera and Larkspur, and the historic centers of San Anselmo and Sausalito—you can feel the CARE framework in daily life and in the bigger picture of public policy.
What this means for Marin residents and neighbors
For folks living in Marin, CARE offers a path that puts treatment, housing, and steady support ahead of last-minute crisis responses. Community partners say that when they focus on early outreach—like visiting neighborhoods in unincorporated areas near Fairfax and Marin City—people can get help before things get out of hand.
Supporters believe this approach leads to fewer people experiencing homelessness and creates a stronger behavioral health system throughout Marin County. That includes everywhere from San Rafael’s busy streets to the quiet stretches out by Point Reyes and Inverness.
If you or someone you care about needs info on CARE services in Marin, reach out to your local behavioral health resources—whether you’re in San Rafael, Novato, Sausalito, or anywhere else. Ask about CARE Court support, housing help, and case management through the county’s Health and Human Services network.
Here is the source article for this story: Marin County Named ‘CARE Champion’
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