Misunderstanding the law

Too often, even in states that have the option of assisted outpatient treatment, the prevailing belief is that the only option is inpatient commitment - and even then only after someone becomes dangerous.

That just is not true in many places. Make sure you know where your state stands, so if you hear this from a mental health provider, law enforcement officer, or other professional, or even read it in the paper, you can correct it.