Care Act Celebrates 11 New Graduates

It has been two years since the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act program began enrolling participants, and the number of success stories is growing.

By the end of the program's first year, 71 CARE agreements were in place and the first graduation celebrated.

Now, with the CARE Act's second anniversary this month, the program has put 149 CARE Agreements in place and celebrated 23 graduations.

Recently, 11 of those graduations took place on the same day, showcasing the successful collaboration among the County's Behavioral Health Services, the Public Defender's Office, Superior Court and other partners.

The CARE Act is a voluntary treatment program for adults 18 and older who are living with untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. The program allows individuals to take an active role in creating their own CARE agreement and recovery plan for mental health treatment and housing support.

For the 11 newest grads, the courtroom celebration of their commitment to the program and personal success was an exciting milestone.