Details OC Cares, the County’s integrated services and programs across its systems of care: behavioral health, healthcare, housing, benefits and support services, and community corrections, for justice involved individuals within the past five years.

Santa Ana, Calif. (July 17, 2026) – Today, the Orange County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (OCCJCC) released its OC Cares: Justice, Prevention & Intervention 2025 Vision Report, which highlights a decade of strategic development and implementation of coordinated care management across the County of Orange’s (County’s) systems of care, known as OC Cares, which includes - Behavioral Health, Health Care, Community Corrections, Housing, and Benefits and Support Services - to better support justice-involved individuals and their families. 

One of the primary goals of the OC Cares: Justice, Prevention & Intervention Initiative is to prevent individuals from entering from one pillar into the next while ensuring services are provided to assist individuals to become self-sufficient and successful. The report details the County’s investments in facilities, services and programs as well as data from the past five years, for objectives within all five progressive pillars of service: Prevention, Courts, In‑Custody, Reentry, and Juvenile and Transitional Age Youth (TAY). The data-at-a-glance section of the report provides insight into the population and the data within the pillar sections allows the County to identify positive changes as well as areas to improve and focus on moving forward within the initiative.  

Collaboration has been a key to success for the County through the coordination of the OCCJCC.  The report showcases the collaborations between County departments, law enforcement partners, the Orange County Superior Court and community organizations across the County’s five Systems of Care – to help people navigate those transitions when they occur and connect them to services such as behavioral health services, housing assistance, job skills training and peer support services.  

"As people leave jail, they have needs and often face difficult circumstances," said Chair Doug Chaffee, Fourth District, Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and OCCJCC Chair. "Our goal is to make that transition easier by coordinating services, so instead of returning to a life of crime, people know where to turn for help and are better positioned to regain stability, reconnect with their communities and become productive members of society.” 

"Prevention works. OC Cares recognizes how investing in youth intervention, diversion and coordinated services helps people find stability before they enter, or return to, the justice system. Our coordinated investments reduce repeat offenses, strengthen public safety and help more people build productive, independent lives," said Vice Chair Katrina Foley, Fifth District. 

"For years, our law enforcement partners have witnessed the impact of people cycling in and out of jail with untreated behavioral health challenges and how they impact our communities,” said Supervisor Janet Nguyen, First District. “The progress highlighted in this report reflects our shared commitment to investing taxpayer dollars wisely in solutions that improve lives, reduce repeat offenses and make Orange County safer.” 

"OC Cares is a comprehensive approach to help break the cycle of recidivism while assisting individuals and strengthening our communities,” said Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, Second District. “It takes all stakeholders working closely together to ensure this system succeeds and ultimately changes the lives of so many for the better.”

“The goal is simple: fewer victims, fewer repeat offenders and safer neighborhoods,” said Donald Wagner, Third District Supervisor and OCCJCC Vice Chair. “I’m proud of the work we’ve accomplished by bringing together some of the best criminal justice professionals in the county. The Sheriff, the District Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender, the Courts and all the members of the OCCJCC all work collaboratively with community partners sharing their lived experiences to target services and interventions where they can make the greatest impact.” 

Positive increases and additions within the five pillars of service include the following: 

• Prevention: Over a two-year period (2023-2025), there was a 421% increase (1,167 to 6,085) in new contacts for the behavioral health bureau and a 184% increase in field interviews (2,705 to 7,669), signaling a significant growth in de-escalation efforts. 
• Courts: The Court operates 17 adult Collaborative Court programs focused on accountability, treatment and supportive services. Collaborative Court graduations increased 80% with more than 420 graduates during the last fiscal year.
• In-Custody: During a five-year period (2020-2025), participants in the County’s enhanced reentry programs grew 103% (2,050 to 4,154), meaning more justice-involved individuals are engaged in programming and services. 
• Reentry: In 2024, the South Regional Success Center opened. The center increased services and support within the first five months from 104 in April to 373 in September –reinforcing the need for this service delivery model.  
• Juvenile & TAY: Services have expanded for the Juvenile and TAY populations, including behavioral health treatment options located in OC.  A focus on in-custody vocational and educational programs, including life skills, that better support reentry success was expanded as reflected in the increase in college enrollment and vocational program participation. This included Project Kinship’s Youth Transformation Program serviced 512 youth in 2025 of which 354 youth transitioned from in-custody services to reentry services within the year. 

“In 2015, OC Cares began when there was no funding, but with a shared belief that the status quo had to change,” said County Financial Officer Kim Engelby. “What followed was years of innovation, partnership and persistence. While our work is not finished, this report reflects what is possible when agencies come together with a common purpose to ensure that every Orange County resident knows there is someone who cares, who sees their challenges and is there to help them move forward.” 

The next efforts for the OC Cares: Justice, Prevention & Intervention Initiative will include:  

1. Assessing efforts and data within the report to improve programs, services and processes within the pillars. 
2. Continuing to collaborate within the pillars while monitoring data and outcomes of services and efforts to ensure effectiveness. 
3. Finalizing projects and producing quarterly progress reports. 

The full OC Cares: Justice, Prevention & Intervention 2025 Vision Report and available resources can be found at occares.com. 

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