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Laredo health officials describe Assisted Outpatient Treatment program and eligibility criteria
Summary
The meeting included a detailed presentation of Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT): eligibility, services, partners, capacity and early outcomes from other jurisdictions, delivered by AOT representatives to the Drug and Alcohol Commission.
Laredo — Representatives from the Assisted Outpatient Treatment program described the court‑ordered, community‑based mental health treatment model and how local partners plan to use it to reduce hospitalizations and incarcerations, AOT staff told the Drug and Alcohol Commission.
AOT overview: Erica Lopez, an AOT representative, said AOT provides community mental‑health treatment under civil court orders to adults (18 and older) with serious mental illness who do not adhere to voluntary treatment and who show deterioration without care. “It doesn't mean that they have to be involved in the criminal justice system,” Lopez said.
Eligibility and referral pathways: Presenters said eligibility typically requires a formal diagnosis (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder) and a documented history of psychiatric hospitalizations or incarceration (the program focuses on the prior two years, though staff said they may consider up to three years in special cases). They said evidence of non‑compliance with outpatient treatment (missed medications or appointments) and at least two qualifying acute events in the look‑back period are generally required; emergency‑department visits for acute mental‑health crises can be counted.
Services and capacity: The program offers intensive case management, daily phone/text contacts initially, weekly counseling, monthly virtual psychiatric visits, medication management (including injectable antipsychotics when clinically appropriate), help with housing and employment barriers, bus passes and a food pantry. Staff said the program can carry up to 40 participants at a time; stay length varies from about 90 days to more than a year depending on participant needs.
Legal and court support: Lopez said AOT is civil (not criminal) and that court hearings are structured so participants can be treated in the community. The program provides an assigned attorney for AOT hearings; Lopez said judges have in some cases dismissed charges when participants engaged in treatment. The presentation identified collaboration with local judges, Border Region MHMR and law‑enforcement mental‑health units.
Reported outcomes: Presenters cited published results from other states — including lower hospitalization and incarceration rates — and gave local examples of participants who regained employment and schooling. Staff emphasized a team approach and frequent follow‑up to improve adherence and stability.
How to refer: Presenters left contact information and brochures and asked community providers and family members to call the AOT office to start the screening process.
What’s next: Commissioners asked operational questions about court placements, forensic beds and the restoration process; presenters said AOT may be part of local strategies to address long psychiatric wait lists and to increase access to community care.
