Families ACT

09/01/2026

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/01/08/rob-reiner-tommy-lee-jones-parenting-struggles-mentally-ill-adult-child/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPOBCVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeaKYxHNIb3i4E56QrEWl8Qwu-MS1jFGA1QA6g_7tLUhWo5w01oLXmm22cUm8_aem_gRM_UUcGoeket7u72x1gnQ

A Bay Area mental health advocate speaks out on the traumas of parents who struggle to get treatment for troubled adult children who have a serious mental illness or drug addiction.

08/01/2026

https://www.noozhawk.com/wayne-mellinger-i-saw-the-best-souls-of-my-city-and-we-must-not-look-away/

On the night of Dec. 21, under the archway of the historic Santa Barbara County Courthouse, we gathered for the 13th annual Longest Night candlelight

19/12/2025

"The supervisors got a serious earful from six mental-health and criminal-justice-reform advocates arguing they could they cut the number of new jail beds now proposed for the North County Jail by one-third and save $44 million without compromising public safety. That savings, they noted, did not include the millions saved in salaries for new jail safety personnel or the millions more spent on debt financing."

Over the next five years, the county government is looking at $66 million in cumulative budget shortfalls.

14/12/2025

https://www.independent.com/2025/12/10/santa-barbara-supervisors-get-eye-opening-snapshot-of-jail-population/

Data dump provides stats on who’s getting booked into county jail, who’s staying, and, most critically important, who might not need to be there.

14/12/2025

https://www.noozhawk.com/31-million-permanent-supportive-housing-complex-coming-to-goleta/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Noozhawk%E2%80%99s%20A.M.%20Report%2012.14.2025&utm_source=9ec8acd2c4&utm_source=Noozhawk&utm_campaign=8f6d066930-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_12_08_10_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-8f6d066930-247250449

A three-story permanent supportive housing development for homeless people is coming to Goleta. The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara is

07/11/2025

https://apple.news/ATgVTADEKS9q7vdYO1-aPvw

Orange County DA Todd Spitzer said 12 mentally ill men facing criminal charges could be released if county staff cannot find a facility to house them.

10/10/2025

https://www.independent.com/2025/10/08/sylvia-barnard-with-her-tiny-homes-and-magical-kitchen-saves-lives/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Indy%20Today%3A%20Sylvia%20Barnard%20with%20Her%20Tiny%20Homes%20and%20Magical%20Kitchen%20Saves%20Lives&utm_campaign=Indy%20Today%2C%20Thursday%2010%2F9%20%28Copy%29

Good Samaritan is an organization that actually helps people.

02/09/2025

Candlelight Vigil at the Santa Barbara Courthouse Aug 31st 2025

02/09/2025

Rev. David Moore Address at Families ACT! International Overdose Awareness Candlelight Vigil in Santa Barbara Aug 2025

15/08/2025

See this CBS interview with FASMI on the President's Executive Order on Homelessness. FASMI is Families Advocating for the Seriously Mentally Ill.

President Trump has identified mental illness as one of the root causes of homelessness and promoted forced commitment as a solution in an executive order targeting the issue that he signed last month. But a group of mental health advocates said the approach is lacking humanity.