Governor Gavin Newsom has announced new accountability measures to improve implementation of the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act while also accelerating housing and treatment expansion through Proposition 1 and Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) funding.
$291 million in funding is being awarded to communities statewide to build more shelter, housing, and treatment, and accountability tools will allow the public to view the CARE Act compliance levels and the status of every county in the State.
The CARE Act represents California’s attempt to modernize the state’s behavioral health system and confront homelessness after decades of systemic failure. The program’s approach empowers individuals suffering from untreated or undertreated schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders to successfully access and retain treatment and housing.
For many suffering from these illnesses, finding and maintaining health and mental health care, along with finding appropriate housing, is next to impossible. CARE connects individuals to a team of providers under the guidance of a civil court judge in a non-punitive setting, ensuring those needing voluntary treatment have ongoing, external support. The process begins with a petition to determine eligibility, which can be submitted by the individual, a family member, a first responder, or a mental health professional.
CARE Court programs began in eight participating counties in 2023 and were fully implemented in all 58 counties by December 2024. More than 3,800 petitions have been submitted to courts. More than 1,851 people have continued through the CARE Court process. Mendocino County is a CARE Court participant, having launched the program in December, 2024.
Governor Newsom identified and awarded ten counties as “CARE Champions,” a designation that reflects successful implementation of the CARE Court within their communities, with the highest per capita petition rates. The state’s first cohort of Champions is: Humboldt, Tuolumne, Marin, Napa, Merced, Sutter, Alameda, Santa Barbara, San Mateo, and Imperial Counties.
In contrast, the Governor identified 10 underperforming counties to receive additional support through the state’s CARE Improvement and Coordination Unit.
“Care and accountability go hand in hand — full stop. Through CARE Court, we have seen inspirational stories of recovery and resilience, but many counties continue to lag behind their peers. Local leaders have a moral and legal obligation to deliver this transformational tool for those who need it most. We will not accept failure and excuses when lives are on the line,” said the Governor.
Since Governor Reagan’s closure of state hospitals, people with mental health issues have fallen into the criminal justice system or homelessness, creating a multi-generational impact. Individuals with untreated psychosis are 10 times more likely to experience homelessness and 16 times more likely to be incarcerated.
California’s conservatorship laws were updated for the first time in 50 years. They now include those unable to provide for personal safety or necessary medical care, in addition to food, clothing, or shelter, due to either severe substance use disorder or serious mental health illness. A new CARE court system creates court-administered plans for up to 24 months for people struggling with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, often with substance use challenges.
Californians may now track how their community is addressing mental health, homelessness, and housing at accountability.ca.gov, which has just been updated with new information on CARE Act implementation by county. Data was largely authored by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
In Mendocino County, 907 dedicated housing units were completed between 2019 and 2024. The unsheltered population is up 34.6% since 2023. 774 people experienced homelessness in 2024- up 22.3% from the previous year. The number of year-round beds available decreased by 10.2% since 2023.
Regarding housing, the county is 62% closer to its 8-year housing creation goal. Progress for permitting goals so far this cycle is as follows: For Very Low-Income Housing: 52.3%. Low Income Housing: 42.2%. Moderate Income Housing: 118.6%. Above Moderate-Income Housing: 46.7%.
$8.8 million in Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) funding was awarded in the Mendocino region between 2019 and 2025. Of this, $8.3 million went directly to Mendocino County, which has obligated $5 million and spent $3.2 million. 4,367 people were connected to services.1,358 people were housed. Between July 2021 and February 2026, 107 encampments in Mendocino County were removed.
With regard to Behavioral Health, the County intends to adopt reforms to conservatorship by the 2026 deadline. Medi-Cal mobile crisis services have been implemented, and 626 people are currently enrolled in Full-Service Partnership behavioral health services. For additional information, the Accountability Page refers readers to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.
Proposition 1 helps local communities provide care and housing for those with mental health and substance use treatment needs. It provides $6.4 billion from a Behavioral Health Bond for housing, services, and treatment for veterans and people experiencing homelessness, including $2.25 billion through Homekey+ to serve individuals with mental health or substance use challenges and veterans.
When fully awarded, funding from Proposition 1 bonds is also estimated to create 6,800 residential treatment beds and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots for behavioral health through the CA Department of Health Services.
20 regions are also receiving multi-year grants from the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention (HHAP). HHAP focuses on regional collaboration to address local, targeted solutions for the creation of permanent housing, interim housing, and local interventions. The Newsom Administration appropriated nearly $5 billion through current and previous rounds of HHAP to support local jurisdictions. A total of $578.9 million has been awarded this year as part of HHAP Round 6, and $181 million more will be awarded in the coming weeks. Grantees must have and maintain a compliant housing element, and mechanisms are in place to withhold funding from local governments that fail to demonstrate progress.
Newsom set a strong expectation for all local governments to address encampments in their communities and help connect people with support by removing dangerous encampments. In 2024, he filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, defending communities’ authority to clear encampments. After the Supreme Court affirmed local authority, he issued an executive order directing state entities and urging local governments to clear encampments humanely while ensuring people receive adequate notice and support. Since 2021, Caltrans has removed more than 19,000 encampments on state right-of-way and collected approximately 354,000 cubic yards of litter and debris.
For information on the CARE Act in Mendocino County, visit www.mendocino.courts.ca.gov/divisions/collaborative-courts/care-act.
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