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Guam bill to expand petitioning for assisted outpatient treatment advances with judiciary and behavioral-health safeguards urged
Summary
Senator Shelley Calvo's Bill 219-38 COR would expand who may petition for assisted outpatient treatment under the Baby Alexia Law; the judiciary and Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center urged training, strict clinical safeguards, clear notice and counsel rules, and capacity limits tied to a SAMHSA pilot grant.
Senator Shelley Calvo opened a public hearing Jan. 16 on Bill 219-38 COR, the Baby Alexia Law Reform Act of 2025, which would expand who may file petitions to initiate court-supervised assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) under chapter 82a of the Guam Code.
Calvo said the measure seeks earlier intervention for people with serious mental illness, not broader criteria for involuntary treatment, and that it preserves medical involvement and judicial oversight. "It is about shifting from a reactive posture to a proactive one while remaining anchored in compassion, medical expertise, and respect for individual rights," she said.
Associate Justice Catherine Merriman and court administrator Danielle Rossetti testified for the judiciary, stressing the…
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