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Board debates assisted outpatient treatment ("Laura's Law"), refers measure back to committee
Summary
Supervisors debated implementing Assembly Bill 1421 (Laura's Law), which would allow assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) for a small group of people with severe mental illness. After extended public and board discussion, the item was referred back to committee for more work.
Supervisor Michela Alioto‑Pier introduced a resolution asking the Board of Supervisors to authorize implementation of assisted outpatient treatment under Assembly Bill 1421 (commonly called Laura's Law) and to request a controller analysis of local mental‑health funding.
The proposal would create a court‑ordered assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) structure for a narrow subset of people with severe mental illness who have repeatedly failed to engage in voluntary services. Proponents described AOT as community‑based, multidisciplinary care that can include medication support, housing assistance, vocational help and case management; opponents and the Department of Public Health questioned whether Laura's Law would actually improve treatment access in San Francisco and whether funding and statutory safeguards are adequate.
Why this matters: Supporters said AOT could prevent repeated hospitalizations, homelessness and criminalization of people with severe psychotic illness, citing examples from New York (Kendra's Law) and small…
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