LEGAL RESOURCES

... I can't scoop up my son from this bipolar ravine and carry him to firm ground. He must first reach out his hand. The experts tell me that he must come to grips with his own illness, even though part of that sickness robs him of his judgment. It's like demanding that a man with a broken leg run a marathon.

- From "His Son Is Delusional, Paranoid, Psychotic - But Cannot Be Forced Into Treatment. A Father Grapples With Truth, Responsibility and a Confounding Virginia Law,"The Washington Post, Sept. 24, 2002

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STATE LAWS AT A GLANCE 

UPDATED! CHART (also available in PDF)
TEXT SUMMARY (also available in PDF)

STATE LAWS IN DETAIL

Mental illness treatment statutes, by state

OTHER LEGAL RESOURCES

Opinions, briefs, legal articles and case digests
Treatment Advocacy Center Model Law
A guide to New York's Kendra's Law
 A guide to California's Laura's Law  

Whether you're a legislator working to strengthen your state's treatment laws, an attorney representing a person with severe mental illness, or an individual searching for information on a family member's rights under the law, the information on this page can assist you in understanding the complexities of mental illness law and what must be done to strengthen existing statutes. Want more information on being an advocate in your state? Visit our advocates page for tips and ideas.

State laws

Legal standard/requirements for assisted treatment, by state

• A chart of the most essential information about the assisted treatment standard in each state. (Also available in a printer-friendly PDF version.)
• A text summary of statutory assisted treatment standards organized state by state. (Also available in a printer-friendly PDF version.)

Mental illness treatment statutes and analyses, by state

Statutes (Note: Please check your local library for recent revisions to your state's statutes):

Treatment Advocacy Center

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