(Jan. 18, 2017) Mental health experts gathered in Columbus last week for Ohio’s 2017 Behavioral Health Conference, and the Treatment Advocacy Center was in attendance.
Policy Director Brian Stettin and Legislative and Policy Advisor Betsy Johnson led a workshop on implementing assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) and unveiled a new toolkit that will serve as an invaluable resource to judges, sheriffs, mental health professionals and advocates across the state.
The Ohio Civil Commitment and AOT Toolkit provides the blueprint for successful AOT implementation, and consists of the Ohio AOT Implementation Manual and the Judges’ Quick Reference Guide to Ohio Law on Mental Health Civil Commitment.
“The time is now to decriminalize mental illness, and this partnership to implement AOT throughout Ohio is a great step in doing so,” said Rick Keller, President of the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, sponsors of the toolkit. “By providing a framework with specific, actionable tools such as the Implementation Guide and
Judges Quick reference manual, the criminal justice system in our state will be better equipped to do so in a compassionate and appropriate manner.”
The Implementation Manual outlines the core elements of an effective AOT program. The information presented in the manual is intended to help get communities started on the right foot and describes the components and operational steps to implement a successful program. It has helpful flow charts throughout to aide in understanding the court process, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions section including actual questions that were posed by counties as they took steps to implement an AOT program.
The Judges’ Quick Reference Guide presents the relevant law in an outline form that is easier to navigate than the code itself. It is not intended as a substitute to the actual law, but to serve as a quick reference for judges while they are on the bench in determining what the law means. It includes the statutory citations throughout.
Ohio is implementing a comprehensive AOT law to help people with severe mental illness get the treatment they need. An effective AOT program can drastically reduce hospitalization, homelessness, arrest and incarceration among people with severe mental illness, while increasing adherence to treatment and overall quality of life.
However, effectively implementing AOT requires a concerted community effort, which involves the commitment of leadership and staff of the probate court, law enforcement, local and state hospitals and community mental health agencies.
“This work in Ohio also represents great promise for other states throughout the nation to emulate, representing a diverse population, economy, and geography,” said Keller. “The ultimate prize is to improve the lives of persons suffering mental illness and their families, including in the unfortunate circumstances when the illness propels them into the criminal justice system.”
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