The 11th Judicial District Court in San Juan County has launched a new program to help people with severe mental illness.
The Assisted Outpatient Treatment, or AOT, program will be available to individuals “who have repeatedly failed to adhere to treatment on a voluntary basis,” according to a news release from the Administrative Offices of the Courts.
“The AOT program places people on a path to potential recovery through the combination of individualized treatment within the community and court oversight,” said Chief Justice Julie J. Vargas.
The program will require qualifying individuals ages 18 and older to participate in community-based treatment while under the court’s supervision, the release said.
New Mexico law provides a civil procedure for the involuntary hospitalization of people with mental illness who are likely to harm themselves or others. The new program offers an alternative to hospitalization while keeping the individual under judicial supervision.
“The program helps people access needed treatment while safely staying connected to their families and communities,” said 11th Judicial District Chief Judge R. David Pederson. “The goal is to improve outcomes for recovery, reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and incarceration, and enhance public safety.”
An individual must be 18 years or older and be diagnosed with a serious mental disorder to qualify.
The person also must “have a history of not complying with treatment voluntarily, resulting in self-harm, violent behavior or threats to others as well as repeated instances of hospitalization or incarceration,” the release said.
To become eligible for AOT, the individual or their attorney must file a petition, which is followed by a hearing to determine whether the individual qualifies for the program.
Once a determination is made, a behavioral health specialist develops a treatment plan, and the court monitors the program participant to ensure adherence to the plan.
“Five judicial districts are now running AOT because courts and community behavioral health providers are solving this together, not separately,” said Karl Reifsteck, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts. “That partnership is what helps people engage with treatment and find real stability in their lives.”