Fewer than 100 orders have been issued statewide, while thousands of people have been committed to mental hospitals. 'It's been hugely successful in Seminole County,'' said Sheriff Don Eslinger, who pushed for the law after one of his deputies was killed by a mentally ill man who wasn't taking his medication. "It's dramatically decreased homelessness, hospitalizations and violence in this population.''
Forty-four people have been committed to outpatient treatment at the Seminole County Mental Health Center, according to Dr. Valerie Westhead, the clinical director. "It's something that helps clients stay in their home community, prevents them from having to go to state hospital, and helps them to live their lives more the way they would like to live their lives.''
The Treatment Advocacy Center (www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org) is a national nonprofit dedicated to eliminating barriers to the timely and effective treatment of severe mental illnesses. TAC promotes laws, policies, and practices for the delivery of psychiatric care and supports the development of innovative treatments for and research into the causes of severe and persistent psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Using AOT in Florida
Florida has an AOT law, but it’s rarely used outside of Seminole County. As a recent Miami Herald article shows, using AOT has been a great success for this county. Perhaps it’s time for others in Florida to do the same.