Some people with mental illness have great difficulty taking responsibility for their own care and often reject outpatient treatment offered to them on a voluntary basis. These individuals could: commit suicide; become homeless; end up in jail; or, on rare occasions be involved in acts of violence. Family members and caregivers often must stand by helplessly and watch their loved ones and patients decompensate to actual "dangerousness"
Mental Illness is a disability, the behavior not the patient may be considered evil. This disability is now a health crisis. Assisted Outpatient Treatment laws have been helpful in many states, but there is no such law in CT, MD, MA, NM, NV and TN. We need federal legislation to strengthen AOT, involuntarily commitment including medication over objection.
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