My response is: "Kentucky's Assisted Outpatient Treatment, AOT law has been on the books for 20 years. As of 2012, 80% of the leaders of state wide mental health organizations, didn't know what it was, had ever known of someone benefiting from AOT or 'worse', even that the law exist!
 |
Read this horrific story here and one that isn't uncommon in Kentucky, except rarely does Kentucky media outlets revealed the shooter had a long history of 'untreated' mental illness. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/jun/21/lives-of-kcso-deputy-suspect-crossed-in-deadly/
The reason I have lobbied for the
202A.081 Court-ordered community-based outpatient treatment
to be 'strengthen, lengthen and supportive',
by KY's state government, through the Dept. of Behavioral Health
Development and Intelligent Disabilities is ~ the fact the current law is rarely used.
It's has taken 4 years of effort to get the state NAMI groups to discuss and support this topic! Small wonder the most vulnerable who can't advocate for themselves, due to no fault of their own ~ can't access treatment or resources to find the path to recovery.
It's has taken 4 years of effort to get the state NAMI groups to discuss and support this topic! Small wonder the most vulnerable who can't advocate for themselves, due to no fault of their own ~ can't access treatment or resources to find the path to recovery.
It's not all about stigma that prevents
these individuals and their families from 'unpreventable tragedies' ~
it's about how Kentucky law is written and enforced. KY's AOT law needs to be written in a way that it can be funded and implemented! People
must get behind it. A squeaky wheel is the only thing that gains
attention!
