On December 2, Santa Barbara County joined the rest of the state in implementing the CARE Act, a court-based program aimed at addressing homelessness and undiagnosed schizophrenia spectrum disorders with community-based care.
"I think everyone needs to feel hope and to know that there is someone that they have in their court, someone that's paying attention to them and vying for them to get the help and the support that they need," said Suzanne Grimmesey, Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness.
Data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness shows less than one percent of the U.S. population is diagnosed with schizophrenia.
"But for those who have that diagnosis, the need is significant," Grimmesey said.
In Santa Barbara, 30% of homeless people have a serious mental health condition according to the county, of which a small fraction might have a disorder on the schizophrenia spectrum.
"Even for those that are not eligible through the petition process, it will help to create bridges to our department and allow us to engage people in services and hopefully get more people the help that they need," Grimmesey said.
Public defender Susan Leff says the CARE Act is unlike other programs because participation is voluntary.
"Meet them where they're at and provide them with housing, medication and services. So what I think this can do is it can give us another opportunity to sort of analyze the whole system, not just individuals," Leff said.
Data from California Health and Human Services shows that 785 CARE petitions were filed statewide between October 2023 and September 2024 based on preliminary data from the first counties to implement the program.
More information on the CARE Act and how to fill out a petition can be found below:
