Newsom warns he’ll reallocate CARE Court money from 10 counties he calls underperforming as state tracks progress
Gov. Gavin Newsom warned March 2, 2026 he may reallocate CARE Court funds from ten underperforming counties — including Los Angeles and San Francisco — unless they meet state benchmarks for petitions and show faster progress statewide.
Key takeaways
- State benchmark: ~6.2 petitions per 100,000 residents is the state’s yardstick for CARE Court implementation (per administration data).
- “CARE ICU” counties: Ten counties were flagged for underperformance, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, and may face funding reallocation.
- Top performers: The state named 10 “CARE Champions” (e.g., Alameda, Marin, San Mateo) as models for integrated rollout.
- Transparency tools: The administration launched an accountability portal at accountability.ca.gov for public tracking.
Background: what CARE Court is and why it matters
CARE Court is Gov. Newsom’s signature behavioral-health effort to link people with severe mental illness and related challenges to housing, treatment and services through civil courts. The plan was announced in 2019, piloted in several counties in 2023, and the administration reported statewide rollout and enrollment completed by 2025. The program allows families, first responders or others to file petitions with local courts seeking care plans for people who meet specific criteria, with the goal of moving people from streets or encampments into treatment or supportive housing.
(Source: iHeart LA (KFIA M640))
State data and the benchmark
At a March 2 press conference, Newsom cited state-collected data and a measurable benchmark: roughly 6.2 petitions filed per 100,000 residents would indicate successful implementation. The administration counted 3,817 petitions filed statewide since the program began, with 893 approved treatment agreements and 32 court-ordered plans. By comparison, initial projections estimated 7,000 to 12,000 people might qualify — far more than those who have completed plans so far. State officials also reported more than 4,000 referrals redirected to other services, though long-term outcomes for those referrals remain unclear.
(Source: iHeart LA (KFIA M640))
What Newsom said and possible budget action
“I’m happy to redirect every damn penny in these programs to the counties that are getting things done, period, full stop,” Gov. Newsom said, warning he might include changes in his May budget revision that could shift money — a move requiring legislative approval.
Newsom framed the threat as both accountability and a push for progress, promising state support to help counties accelerate rollouts. Video of the March 2 news conference is available from the governor’s office.
(Source: Newsom press conference video)
Responses from counties and critics
Several counties named in the so-called “CARE ICU” responded quickly. San Francisco officials pointed to record lows in encampments, expanded shelter and treatment options and an overall safer street environment as evidence of progress. Santa Clara leaders argued a single metric like petitions per capita oversimplifies a complex system and noted expanded housing and treatment capacity. Orange County countered that it has the fifth-highest number of petitions statewide and reported nearly 79 participants receiving housing and services through CARE Court.
Critics of the metric say it misses preventive work. Michelle Doty Cabrera of the County Behavioral Health Directors Association argued the petition count ignores counties preventing crises through outreach, mobile teams and diversion to non-court services. Some lawmakers called the governor’s public rebuke unfair given local funding and capacity constraints.
(Source: iHeart LA (KFIA M640))
Flagged counties and top performers
Ten counties labeled the “CARE ICU” for underperformance: Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Yolo.
Ten “CARE Champions” that the state says have integrated the program successfully include: Alameda, Marin, Merced, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Sutter, Tuolumne, Humboldt and Imperial. Newsom delivered remarks from Alameda’s Regis Village mental health campus, highlighting local infrastructure as an example.
(Source: iHeart LA (KFIA M640))
State funding, new housing and the broader homelessness plan
Newsom paired accountability with funding announcements: roughly $131.8 million in Homekey+ money tied to Proposition 1 funds to create hundreds of homes, plus about $159 million from Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention programs — totaling about $291 million in recent commitments to expand housing and treatment connected to CARE Court goals. The administration says the state has invested roughly $6.8 billion toward homelessness and behavioral-health gaps and urged counties to use available dollars effectively.
(Sources: iHeart LA (KFIA M640); additional press material/video)
Accountability tools for residents and watchdogs
To make county progress public, the state launched an accountability portal at accountability.ca.gov, where residents can view petition counts, approvals and related metrics. The site is intended to give families, service providers and residents a way to track whether CARE Court is reaching people in need and whether counties are using state funds to support their systems.
(Source: accountability.ca.gov)
Reporting and oversight questions
Investigations and reporting have raised concerns about CARE Court’s limited reach and the frustration of families who expected faster results. State data show fewer than expected petitions and approved treatment plans compared with early projections, prompting debate over whether the petition metric best judges local performance. Advocacy groups warn slower-than-expected rollouts could leave vulnerable people without timely care.
(Source: iHeart LA (KFIA M640))
Implications for Sonoma
Local service providers and officials: Sonoma may face pressure to show measurable CARE Court activity even if local providers emphasize prevention and outreach. The state benchmark (6.2 petitions per 100,000 residents) creates a simple yardstick that can be used in public reporting and legislative discussions, though it may not capture behind-the-scenes crisis prevention work.
Funding and program priorities: If the state shifts CARE Court funding, Sonoma could see changes to grant priorities or competition for state dollars. Local leaders should review enrollment numbers and housing capacity now to prepare for possible state scrutiny in the May budget cycle.
Impact on people experiencing homelessness and severe mental illness: The governor’s push could mean faster placement into CARE Court pathways if the county accelerates petitions and treatment agreements — but the petition-driven model requires that families and first responders know how to file petitions, courts be prepared to act, and treatment and housing beds be available.
Political and community response: Sonoma’s community is likely to demand clear, practical explanations of what the CARE Court benchmark means for local budgets and services. Residents favoring accountability will welcome transparency tools, while advocates may push back if a single metric is seen to misrepresent local work.
(Sources: iHeart LA (KFIA M640); accountability.ca.gov)
