Marin County Department of Health and Human Services Division of Community Mental Health Services: Support & Treatment After Release (STAR) Program

The STAR program serves mental health consumers that have been arrested, usually for minor crimes, often the result of behaviors related to the symptoms of their illnesses. The STAR program serves 40 mentally ill consumers with a community based interdisciplinary team made up of mental health professionals, probation officers, medical staff, eligibility workers, peer providers, and mental health liaison officers from local law enforcement agencies. STAR services include assertive community mental health treatment, supervised probation, medication services, dual-diagnosis treatment, financial management, housing and employment advocacy, and general support. The goal of the program is to provide coordinated, intensive services to assist consumers in obtaining treatment, locating housing and employment, avoiding criminal behavior, and staying out of jail. The Marin County program is a first of its kind, combining law enforcement staff directly with treatment staff to collaboratively assist some of the most impaired and challenged persons away from repeated criminal justice involvement and into supportive care.