Gov. Gavin Newsom says Santa Clara County needs to step up its game in treating people with severe mental health issues.
Newsom says the county is one of 10 that is not bringing enough people through the state-mandated CARE Court system — designed to allow family members and first responders to petition the court to help treat adults with psychotic disorders.
The program, if implemented, would potentially help rid the streets of the mentally ill who are often homeless.
Since December 2024, 53 petitions have been filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court for individuals to enter a voluntary treatment program under the guidance of a judge, according to data provided by the county.
County’s reaction
Mental health advocate Andrew Siegler objects to the governor’s comments.
“Since when did Gavin Newsom have any experience in the mental health industry?” Siegler asked.
“The county has built hundreds of (treatment) beds for people, (and provided funding) for non-law enforcement crisis response. (CARE Court is) not the only thing that matters, and it shouldn’t be the only thing any county is doing.”
Newsom signed the California Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, which established CARE Court into law in 2022 and it took effect statewide by Dec. 1, 2024. In order to qualify for the program, individuals need to be at least 18 years old, have a diagnosis of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder and need supervision in order to function in society.
Expanded to cover bipolar
Recently, the state expanded the program to include people with bipolar I disorder with psychosis. A representative of the Santa Clara County Superior Court said they expect to see as many as 80 petitions this year, almost twice the number of petitions filed in 2025.
As of early 2025, Santa Clara County is experiencing a record-high homeless population of 10,711 people, marking an 8.2% increase from 2023, according to a report from the county.
The CARE program targets people with severe, untreated mental illnesses — specifically schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorders — who are homeless or in jail. It connects them with counselors, medication and housing. The program is not punitive, but rather aims to provide a supported, court-ordered treatment plan, with services lasting up to two years. — Bay City News
In our neighborhood, we’ve got a man — we call him “How Weird” — who is is need of psychiatric help. He screams like a banshee in his yard for no reason, he gets into arguments with 5-year-olds walking down the street with their mother, and he had delusions of grandeur. How-Weird tells people he was a big shot in the Obama administration and now runs a nonprofit. I find that highly doubtful. His clothing is soiled and he eats food out of dumpsters. He has a trust fund of some sort and apparently owns the home in our neighborhood and a Prius. His family has abandoned him. We’ve talked to police about him, but they say they can’t take him to the hospital on a 5150 (a temporary mental health commitment) because he isn’t threatening to kill himself or others. But his screaming would suggest he needs to see a doctor, at the very least. Can the CARE program be used to treat and possibly lock-up a mentally-ill person who has been abandoned by his family?
I think I know who you are talking about.
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I’ve talked to him and he seems normal for a few minutes, and then he loses it. Best policy is to keep your distance from him. I hadn’t heard his nickname before, but it fits.