‘Desperate’ families see potential in S.F.’s new mental health court — but few helped so far

But their concerns have eased since their son became one of the first participants of San Francisco’s CARE Court, a voluntary program conceived by Gov. Gavin Newsom to get people struggling with severe mental illness — most notably homeless people languishing in the streets — into treatment. Phinney and Lazo’s son has been able to keep his apartment and is receiving monthly stabilizing medications.