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CARE Court information

Justice-Involved Behavioral Health provides support with Behavioral Health for Residents.

About this service

CARE Court (Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment) is a program in Marin County that connects eligible adults with serious mental health conditions to court-ordered, community-based treatment, housing support, and services.

The program creates a structured pathway to help individuals who are not clinically stable to engage in care, improve stability, and avoid more restrictive interventions such as hospitalization or conservatorship.

Who this service is for

This service is for:

  • Adults age 18 and older
  • Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar 1 with psychotic features, and related psychotic disorders. People who are currently exhibiting behaviors and symptoms related to severe mental illness may also be eligible
  • Individuals who are not stabilized through ongoing voluntary treatment
  • Individuals who want to a file a petition for themselves or specific family members, roommates, legal guardians, clinicians, first responders, county staff, and other eligible petitioners seeking to connect someone to CARE Court services

Details

Overview

Marin County launched the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act program, also known as CARE Court, on December 1, 2024, under Senate Bill (SB) 1338. The program takes a community-focused approach, emphasizing client-centered intervention and less restrictive care settings to prevent severe impairment and deterioration that might otherwise lead to placement on a 5150/5250 involuntary hold and/or to an LPS Conservatorship investigation.

Families, clinicians, first responders, and other eligible individuals can initiate the process by filing a petition with the civil court, connecting those in need to court-supervised, voluntary treatment. There are no filing fees, and the Legal Self-Help Center can offer free assistance to county residents interested in filing a CARE Petition.

How the program works

The process includes the following steps:

  • Step 1: Referral and petition
    An eligible person (such as a family member, clinician, or first responder) files a CARE petition with the court. The court reviews the petition and appoints legal representation.
  • Step 2: Clinical evaluation
    The individual is evaluated to determine eligibility and whether CARE Court is appropriate.
  • Step 3: CARE plan development
    If eligible, a CARE team works with the individual to create a personalized treatment plan, which may include behavioral health services, medications, and housing support.
  • Step 4: Court oversight and services
    Participants receive services for up to 12 months, with regular court reviews to monitor progress, and a possible extension to 24 months.
  • Step 5: Completion and ongoing support
    After completing the program, individuals may continue receiving services and supports to maintain stability and recovery.

Eligibility

To participate in CARE Court, individuals must:

  • Be 18 years or older
  • Have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar 1 with psychotic features, and related psychotic disorders.
  • Be experiencing symptoms that interfere with stability in the community
  • Not be effectively engaged in voluntary treatment

Who can file a CARE petition

Petitioners must be at least 18 years old and have a relationship to the participant in one of the following capacities:

  • Specific family member (spouse, registered domestic partner, parent, adult sibling, adult child, or grandparent), roommate, or legally appointed guardian
  • Licensed behavioral health professional who supervised the participant’s treatment within the last month
  • Representative of a hospital, county behavioral health agency, public or charitable organization or home, California Indian health services program, or tribal behavioral health program who has recently provided services to the participant
  • First responder, such as a paramedic, emergency medical technician, homeless outreach worker, mobile crisis response worker, police officer, or firefighter, who has had multiple interactions with the participant
  • California tribal court judge
  • Member of a county behavioral health, adult protective services, or public guardian office
  • The potential participant themselves

How to file a petition

Petitions are filed using the CARE Act Proceedings (CARE-100) Form.

Additional support and information are available through:

Participant rights

Participation in the CARE program is entirely voluntary. Participants cannot be forced into services, including medication, and may leave the program at any time. The program’s primary goal is to provide support in the least restrictive way while protecting the participant’s autonomy.

Key rights include the ability to make their own decisions, free legal representation, and the option to select a supporter to assist with advocacy during the process.

Resources

The page includes links to multilingual petitioner flyers, the Marin County Superior Court, the Marin Legal Self-Help Center, the CARE Act Resource Center, a NAMI overview, HHS resources, and additional frequently asked questions.

Additional information

Behavioral health contact numbers

Related

Page last updated on May 7, 2026.

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