REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 6, 2021
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Mental Health Services Assisted Outpatient Treatment Assembly Bill 1976 Opt Out
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution making certain findings in accordance with Assembly Bill 1976 in order to opt out of mental health services related to Assisted Outpatient Treatment.
(Presenter: Veronica Kelley, Director, 388-0801)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Opting out of the Assisted Outpatient Treatment is non-financial; approval of this item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On September 25, 2020, State Assembly Bill 1976 (AB 1976) was chaptered into law amending the current legislation associated with Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), commonly known as Laura's Law, effective July 1, 2021. Specifically, as defined by California Welfare and Institutions Code sections 5345-5349.5, Laura's Law creates an AOT program that provides court-ordered treatment (not medication) for persons with severe mental illness who meet the following criteria:
* Must be 18 years of age or older;
* Is suffering from a mental illness;
* Is unlikely to survive safely in the community without supervision;
* Has a history of lack of compliance with treatment;
* Has a substantially deteriorating condition; and
* Participation in AOT would be the least restrictive placement.
Plus, one of the following conditions:
* The person, within the last 36 months, has required two psychiatric hospitalizations or placements in a correctional faci...
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