https://reasonstobecheerful.world/care-court-california-mental-illness/
"One Thanksgiving, while most families gathered around dinner tables, Janina
Estrada cruised the neighborhoods of Orange, California, searching for her
42-year-old son Jimmy Barela in the rain. For nearly two decades, he had cycled
through schizophrenia, addiction, diabetes, homelessness and psychiatric
crises. She knew his usual sleeping spot: behind the dumpster at Jack in the
Box. Sometimes he would run from her.
But in October 2023, Estrada believed she finally had a different option:
California had just launched the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment
(CARE) Court, a new program designed for people with severe psychotic
disorders. Less a traditional court than a structured intervention, CARE aims
to connect people with housing, medication and treatment before they spiral
into jail, conservatorship or death.
“These are the forgotten people,” Estrada says. “They were left behind. I was
not about to leave my son out there.”
She filled out the six-page petition herself. Within days, two Orange County
behavioral clinicians, Juan Banda and Chauncey Bowie, were assigned to Jimmy’s
case. “If it wasn’t for Juan and Chauncey,” Estrada says, “my son wouldn’t be
here anymore.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
