Newsom threatens CARE Court funds for 10 “CARE ICU” counties, including Fresno, in bid to speed California mental health court rollout
Governor Gavin Newsom warned March 2, 2026, he may redirect state CARE Court funding from ten counties labeled “CARE ICU” for lagging petition rates, while unveiling new housing funds and an accountability website to accelerate California’s mental health court rollout.
- State warning and benchmark: The governor set a benchmark of 6.2 CARE Court petitions per 100,000 residents and flagged ten counties below that rate.
- Funding and support: Newsom announced $131.8 million in Homekey+ awards and $159 million from Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention funds while launching accountability.ca.gov for public tracking.
- Data and debate: Since launch officials reported 3,817 petitions, 893 judge-approved treatment agreements, and 32 court-ordered CARE plans; critics say the single petition metric misses broader local efforts.
Overview of the announcement
At a Bay Area press event, Gov. Newsom warned that the state could “pull or redirect” funding from counties that do not meet the state’s CARE Court petition benchmark. He described counties below the threshold as the state’s “CARE ICU” list and named 10 counties by county name.
“I’m happy to redirect every damn penny in these programs to the counties that are getting things done, period, full stop,” the governor said, according to coverage and event video.
Coverage and state reporting are detailed by kfiam640.iheart.com, and the press event videos are available as press event video 1 and press event video 2.
Background: What CARE Court is and why the state launched it
CARE Court is a state program Gov. Newsom unveiled in 2019 designed to connect people with severe mental illness, homelessness, or substance use crises to treatment, housing and services through a court-based pathway. Families, first responders or others can petition a civil court to compel supervised care and housing supports. The program piloted in a few counties in 2023 and expanded statewide by late 2024.
The “CARE ICU” list and the state benchmark
The state used a benchmark of 6.2 CARE Court petitions per 100,000 residents to identify underperforming counties. The 10 counties flagged as the “CARE ICU” were:
- Fresno
- Kern
- Los Angeles
- Monterey
- Orange
- Riverside
- San Bernardino
- San Francisco
- Santa Clara
- Yolo
Newsom also named 10 “CARE Champions” for stronger implementation: Alameda, Humboldt, Imperial, Marin, Merced, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Sutter and Tuolumne (reported by kfiam640.iheart.com).
Program numbers and questions about reach
State data reported since CARE Court’s launch include:
- 3,817 CARE Court petitions
- 893 treatment agreements approved by judges
- 32 court-ordered CARE plans
- More than 4,000 referrals were redirected to other services
Critics — and investigative reporting cited by outlets such as CalMatters — say CARE Court has served far fewer people than projected and that relying on petitions per population may not fully capture local preventive or outreach work (coverage aggregated at kfiam640.iheart.com).
County responses and backlash
Several counties named to the CARE ICU list pushed back. Leaders in Kern, San Francisco and Santa Clara emphasized ongoing investments in housing and treatment and argued the petition metric overlooks early intervention and community-based services. Orange County noted it ranked fifth statewide by one count and pointed to 79 participants receiving housing and services as evidence of active work.
Associations representing counties — including the California State Association of Counties and the County Behavioral Health Directors Association — criticized the single-metric approach for failing to credit prevention and outreach that keep people from entering crisis pathways in the first place (reported by kfiam640.iheart.com).
Funding moves tied to the announcement
Alongside the warning, Newsom announced immediate investments aimed at expanding housing and services:
- $131.8 million in Homekey+ awards to create 443 homes for people with mental health and substance use needs.
- $159 million from Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention funds drawn from a previously approved budget pool.
Some Homeless Housing Assistance funds were awarded to counties on the CARE ICU list — including Fresno, Monterey and San Bernardino — illustrating the governor’s dual message of pressure plus support (source: kfiam640.iheart.com).
Accountability and politics
The state launched accountability.ca.gov to let residents view county CARE Court progress. Newsom tied the implementation push to broader homelessness and public safety goals and said state teams will assist lagging counties — while also signaling he may propose budget shifts in his May 2026 revised budget that would require legislative approval.
Political reaction has been mixed: Republicans and some local officials called the move unfair, urging more state support and criticizing the reliance on a single numeric target. Supporters say the public naming is meant to spur faster action and transparency.
Implications for Fresno
Economic and program impact: Fresno is among the 10 CARE ICU counties. The designation puts behavioral health funding and future state allocations at potential risk if the governor reallocates funds in his May budget proposal. At the same time, some statewide funds announced at the event — including Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention dollars — were already awarded to Fresno, showing simultaneous investment and pressure (reported by kfiam640.iheart.com).
Political consequences: Local leaders in Fresno may face increased scrutiny from constituents and the state, and the CARE ICU label could intensify debates ahead of local races or board meetings about homelessness and safety.
Social effects: Residents experiencing homelessness, mental illness or substance use disorders could see effects sooner than others: a faster CARE Court rollout may speed access to housing and court-supervised care for some, while funding shifts could slow expansion for others.
Practical note for residents: Check accountability.ca.gov to monitor Fresno’s CARE Court performance and follow local behavioral health and county board meetings for plans tied to the governor’s pressure and offers of state support.
Reporting note and sources
The state’s CARE Court data and Gov. Newsom’s March 2 remarks are detailed in state reporting and coverage of the Alameda-area press event; primary reporting and event coverage cited here include kfiam640.iheart.com and the press event videos (press event video 1, press event video 2).
The public accountability site is available at accountability.ca.gov. Additional context and investigative reporting on CARE Court reach and outcomes has been reported by CalMatters and other outlets (see cited coverage).
