(June 29, 2017) The story is sadly familiar. Joe Yadran, with symptoms of severe mental illness, remains untreated. The last time his mother Donna tried to get 39-year-old Joe help, he threatened her life and fled. He now lives on the streets of Stanislaus County, California. ("Why one mom's hands are tied when it comes to finding help for her mentally ill son," Modesto Bee, June 15, 2017).
Donna is an advocate for California's "Laura's Law," which provides community-based assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) for people too ill to seek care voluntarily as a result of their mental illness. Each county in the state must authorize to implement the AOT law, so until the measure passes in Stanislaus County, she will be powerless to help her son get the treatment he needs. The County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services has started a three-month analysis; it will make its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors by summer's end.
Laura's Law has been adopted in 17 counties across the state, from San Francisco to San Diego.
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee highlighted Laura's Law success in his State of the City speech earlier this year, saying “Laura’s Law works. Thank you Supervisor Farrell and the Board for adopting it. We have helped more than 100 families since it began. Now, let us help hundreds more people.” The San Francisco Chronicle, in a piece titled, “Laura’s Law making a difference for SF’s mentally ill homeless,” said the program has proved to be a “small but helpful step toward addressing a problem obvious to anyone who walks around the city.”
If you live in California, join the effort to implement Laura’s Law. Write your county supervisor and tell her or him it’s time to adopt where you live!
To find out more about AOT laws in your state visit our website.