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Registrar of Voter Questions - October 2015
Letter to Registrar of Voters
Websites
Laura's Law
Laura’s Law went into effect in 2002. It is an Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) program for people with severe mental illnesses who refuse medication because their illness impairs their ability to make rational decisions.
The law was named after a young woman who was killed by a patient with severe mental illness who refused to use the prescribed medication for his condition.
However, before the law can go into effect, each county is supposed to pass a resolution and send it to the State Dept. of Health Services concerning its ability to participate. Alameda County is one of many counties in CA which is not participating. The AC Health Care Services Agency reviewed the program and recommended that the Board of Supervisors not adopt the AOT but try to solve the problem another way based on information they gathered from stakeholder groups.
The AC Board of Supervisors postponed action on Laura’s Law and has not rescheduled consideration at the time of this publication. However, Supervisor Wilma Chan wrote an Opinion article last January which appeared in the SF Chronicle and other East Bay papers, which stated:
It’s time that we listen to those families who have a loved one with serious mental illness. We cannot afford to wait any longer. All of our counties must seize the opportunity to bring this lifeline to our most vulnerable citizens and their families. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors needs to follow the lead of these other California counties and adopt Laura’s Law. It is the only humane solution.
To find out more about Laura’s Law, go to our LWVEA Google Archive Library to read Supervisor Chan’s Opinion article, the Alameda County Health Care Services agency report to the Board of Supervisors, a description of Laura’s Law, and Laura’s Law Home Page.
Laura's Law Overview
Alameda County Report
Wilma Chan Letter
Agricultural Study 2014
Agricultural References
Russell City Energy
Letter March, 2013