Marin County just landed in Sacramento’s good graces, earning a spot as one of California’s first “CARE Champions,” a new title for counties with the highest per-capita use of CARE Court petitions during calendar year 2025. County health leaders say the nod could translate into more treatment options, more housing, and more long-term stability for residents living with severe mental illness.
Newsom Names CARE Champions And Awards Funding
In last Monday's release, the Governor's Office rolled out $291 million in behavioral health and housing awards and announced that ten counties would be labeled “CARE Champions” based on their per-capita CARE Court petition rates for calendar year 2025, according to the Governor's Office. “Care and accountability go hand in hand — full stop,” the release stated. The administration said champion counties will receive targeted support and that the state has updated public county metrics so the public can track CARE Court implementation.
What The Designation Means For Marin
Marin Health & Human Services wasted no time celebrating on X, saying the county’s new status will expand access to treatment, stability, and housing, according to Marin HHS. Marin launched its local CARE Court last year to connect residents with severe psychosis to treatment and housing.
Marin County named one of California’s inaugural CARE Champions by Governor Gavin Newsom. Expanding access to treatment, stability, and housing through the CARE Act. Serious solutions for serious mental illness.https://t.co/aKnuT8QR8C pic.twitter.com/yRA2miSTKI
— MarinHealth&HumanSvc (@MarinHHS) March 5, 2026
Data And Questions About The Rollout
The statewide rollout, though, has not exactly been a slam dunk. Through January, the state had received 3,817 CARE Court petitions, but judges had approved just 893 treatment agreements and ordered 32 people into CARE plans, raising questions about whether capacity is keeping up with demand, according to CalMatters. State officials said they used per-capita petition rates to flag early successes and created a CARE ICU for counties that need extra technical help, a clear signal that lagging communities are expected to pick up the pace.
Local leaders in Marin say they plan to work closely with the courts, behavioral health providers and housing partners to turn the new title into concrete services on the ground. For residents and advocates, the CARE Champion label brings both fresh resources and a sharper spotlight on whether the CARE Court model can grow in a way that is fair and truly effective.
