Community mental health services: assisted outpatient treatment.

Existing law, Laura's Law, until January 1, 2013, regulates designated assisted outpatient treatment services, which counties may elect to provide. Under existing law, in counties where assisted outpatient treatment services are available, a court may order a person suffering from a mental illness to obtain assisted outpatient treatment if the court finds the requisite criteria are met. This bill would require a county that elects to provide these services to develop specified best practices for the purposes of responding to a mental health crisis, and to provide for services in connection with these best practices. The bill would exempt counties that, as of January 1, 2012, are providing services pursuant to Laura's Law.