Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Behavioral Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mono County behavioral health staff say Care Court infrastructure exists but use has been limited
Summary
Behavioral Health Director Robin Roberts told the board the county built the Care Court infrastructure required by state law but has used it only a few times because most eligible people decline the voluntary program and because lack of Medi‑Cal creates fiscal strain.
Robin Roberts, director of Mono County Behavioral Health, told the Board of Supervisors on May 19 that the county has implemented the infrastructure required by California’s Care Court initiative but has had very limited use locally.
Roberts said the county set up the required cross‑agency infrastructure in 2024, including agreements with the court, district attorney and county counsel, and hired a consultant to help map processes. Despite these steps, she said the county has only processed two Care Court cases — one transfer from Inyo County and one family‑initiated petition — and neither person ultimately accepted the full treatment plan.
Roberts described Care Court as a voluntary pipeline for people with severe, persistent psychotic disorders who often lack insight into their condition; she said national and statewide experience shows such people frequently decline medication and services. She explained that Care Court does not require a particular payer source, but the county’s behavioral health program can only bill Mono County Medi‑Cal for many services; when clients lack that coverage the county absorbs substantial labor and partner costs for court, public defender and county counsel time.
Board members acknowledged the program’s limitations and thanked county behavioral health staff for their outreach efforts. Several supervisors said Care Court may be useful as an entry pathway for treatment but cautioned it is not a substitute for broader investments such as increased inpatient beds, which are scarce statewide.
Roberts said the county will continue to use Care Court where appropriate, maintain relationships with the courts and partners, and report quarterly on Care Court activity and outcomes.
