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Recent News

NEW AOT LAWS: MICHIGAN, FLORIDA
Forty-two (42) states now allow the use of assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) and new data from New York reiterates the value and import of these laws. The new laws:

MICHIGAN
Kevin’s Law allows judges to order outpatient treatment for people with untreated severe mental illnesses who meet specific criteria, including a recent history of hospitalizations, incarcerations, or behavior dangerous to themselves or others because of their illness. The law was championed by Sens. Tom George (R, 20th District) and Virg Bernero (D, 23rd District).

Effective March 30, 2005
Kevin's Law makes treatment more humane [Key aspects of the law and the actual language of SB 683, SB 684, SB 685, and SB 686]
Assisted outpatient treatment saves lives
Gov. Granholm says "Kevin’s Law is about protection for the individual and the community

FLORIDA
Florida's new law allows court-ordered outpatient treatment for people with severe mental illnesses, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, who have a history of noncompliance combined with either repeated Baker Act admissions or serious violence. The law was championed by the Florida Sheriffs Association and sponsored by Rep. David Simmons.

Effective January 1, 2005
Signed into law June 30, 2004, the Baker Act reform dramatically improved the treatment landscape in Florida [Frequently asked questions about the law and the actual language of the new Baker Act.]
Assisted outpatient treatment saves lives
Wayne Dreggors, President of Act Corporation and Chair of the Florida Council for Community Mental Health, says: "Assisted treatment provides for early intervention to prevent a crisis, and, better still, empowers people with mental illnesses to take control of their symptoms and their lives. Having that legal avenue available in Florida can only serve the good of the people we serve, their families, and the community."

NIMH CONTINUES TO MISALLOCATE FUNDING TO RESEARCH UNRELATED TO MENTAL ILLNESSES. The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) continues to misallocate public research dollars that should be used to offer hope of better treatments and possibly a cure for severe mental illnesses, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It is unfortunate that it requires a legislative effort to keep NIMH to its actual mission, but TAC commends and supports the watchdog efforts of Congressman Randy Neugebauer to do just that.

Dr. E. Fuller Torrey's July 18, 2005 oped in the Wall Street Journal
TAC's letter of support for Congressman Neugebauer's amendment
Press release, Neugebauer serves up a victory for important mental health research and fiscal responsibility
Joint report by TAC and Public Citizen: A federal failure in psychiatric research (Nov. 19, 2003)
More on TAC's multi-year effort to track NIMH funding allocations

CATALYST: SPECIAL ISSUE FOR FAMILIES. The Summer 2005 edition of Catalyst includes a feature article on helping families prepare for crisis and fight for treatment; information on a new study showing that assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) reduces caregiver strain; and voices from families in New York, a state with an AOT law, and New Jersey, a state that is fighting for one. There's also a detailed article on navigating the HIPAA privacy law. We hope this issue is useful to all those struggling to get real help for someone they love. [Want to get our newsletter in the mail? Sign up - it's free. Or print an extra copy for a friend. We also appreciate your TAC ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WINS NATIONAL ADVOCACY AWARD. The Treatment Advocacy Center’s assistant director Jonathan Stanley has been honored with the 2005 Anchor Achievement Award for Leadership and Excellence in Mental Health Advocacy. Stanley's advocacy has been instrumental in improving treatment laws in California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

TAC AWARD PRESENTED. The board of directors of the Treatment Advocacy Center honored Seminole County Sheriff Donald Eslinger, Linda Gregory of Jacksonville, and Alice Petree of Sanford with this year’s national Torrey Advocacy Commendation for their successful advocacy for a new treatment law in Florida. The TAC award recognizes the courage and tenacity of those who selflessly advocate - despite criticism and opposition - for the right to treatment for those who are so severely disabled by severe mental illnesses that they do not recognize that they need treatment. Read more ...

NEW JERSEY The New Jersey Governor’s Task Force on Mental Health recommended adopting assisted outpatient treatment (AOT). "The Task Force concluded that any comprehensive reform of a mental health system requires that the needs of the people with the most severe and persistent mental illnesses be addressed," said Task Force Chair Bob Davison, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Essex County, Inc. "Our careful deliberations and extensive research led us to conclude that for those who are too ill to access mental health services, IOC strikes the appropriate balance of individual's well being and their constitutional liberties."

The Task Force recommendations support Acting Gov. Richard Codey’s efforts to finally bring assisted outpatient treatment, called IOC by the Task Force, to New Jersey. Gov. Codey and Sen. Gerald Cardinale are cosponsors of SB1640, which would establish a progressive program for assisted outpatient treatment in the state. There are 35 other Senate cosponsors.

Passing SB1640 will improve the chances of success for all the many other recommendations in the Task Force's report.

AOT would vastly improve care for New Jersey’s severely mentally ill
About assisted outpatient treatment (AOT or IOC)
Recent report on the benefits of an actual AOT program
Experiences from other states
Modernizing New Jersey's civil commitment law
Consequences reduced, but not in New Jersey
Testimony from Cathy Katsnelson and Joy Scoble in front of the task force. Cathy's son, 11-year-old Gregory, was killed by Ronald Pituch, a man with untreated schizophrenia who had also killed his own mother earlier that same day. Joy's brother is homeless after years of refusing to take medication and cycling through the prison and mental health systems.

Treatment Advocacy Center

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Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC)
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