Leveraging Homeless Courts and Care Courts to Support Individuals’ Homelessness, Mental Illness, and Substance Use Disorders Needs

Leveraging Homeless Courts and Care Courts to Support Individuals’ Homelessness, Mental Illness, and Substance Use Disorders Needs
June 24, 2026, 3:30–5:00 p.m. ET
Jurisdictions nationwide have implemented homeless courts and care courts as structured responses to the challenges faced by individuals who are homeless, have mental and substance use disorders, and intersect with the criminal justice system. These models emphasize collaborative, cross-system approaches that connect individuals to services to promote recovery and resolve legal barriers to housing, employment, and transportation.
This webinar will provide an overview of two programs that demonstrate the homeless court and care court models. Presenters will share Ventura, California’s CARE Act program, including its structure and measurable outcomes. The webinar will also feature the Columbia Homeless Court program, established in 2015, with a focus on its development, operational framework, and data trends. The discussion will highlight how these programs can strengthen system coordination, resolve legal challenges, and improve outcomes for individuals with complex needs.

Learning Objectives
• Understand the function of homeless courts and care courts in addressing homelessness among individuals with mental and substance use disorders.
• Describe essential elements of homeless court and care court models.
• Consider ways to leverage the homeless court or care court models at the local level to address housing barriers among justice-involved individuals who also have mental and substance use disorders.

Presenters
• Levana Adato, LCSW, Clinic Administrator, Ventura County Behavioral Health
• Hans W. Pauling, Esq., Director of Affiliate Services, Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office

Moderator
• Melissa Stein, DrPH, Senior Project Associate, Policy Research Associates, Inc.

“Therapeutic Court Association of Washington is sharing this event for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with, endorsing, or sponsoring the event.”