Pleasanton, California — State health authorities announced Thursday that California's court-guided behavioral health intervention system has connected with more than 10,000 residents struggling with acute psychological disorders during its initial implementation phase across all 58 counties.
According to newly published administrative metrics from the 2026 annual report on the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, local jurisdictions received 5,400 formal civil petitions through June 2026. The statutory framework, established to assist individuals diagnosed with untreated schizophrenia spectrum or psychotic conditions, produced 1,414 consensual support agreements and 56 judicial treatment determinations. An additional 4,900 participants entered clinical or housing programs via non-court referral pipelines initiated through preliminary outreach.
"By making data accessible and in one place, we are giving people the tools to see what’s working, where the gaps are, and how we can build a system that delivers care, dignity, and hope for everyone." — Governor Gavin Newsom
Alongside the caseload disclosures, state regulators debuted the Behavioral Health Public County Profile, an open-access monitoring platform designed to consolidate county-reported service metrics, housing initiatives, and performance measures. The portal allows Californians to evaluate how local resources and behavioral health funding are allocated under the restructured Behavioral Health Services Act, which took effect in July following voter approval of Proposition 1 in 2024.
"California set out to establish one place where the public can clearly see how our behavioral health system is functioning at the local level, and this tool delivers on that vision." — Michelle Baass, Director of the California Department of Health Care Services
