Funds for the forced inpatient or outpatient psychiatric incarceration, known as "assisted outpatient treatment" are to be provided by taxpayers. Other bills under consideration would extend Laura's Law to schoolchildren, at the discretion of school administrators.
Laura's Law is heavily supported by law enforcement, the press, the American Psychiatric Association and host of "consumer and family advocate groups." In others words, those who believe the government deserves more control absolutely love Laura's Law. After all, Laura's Law offers those in power the ultimate form of control - over your brain chemistry.
What is Laura's Law?
Laura's Law is an existing state law, passed by the California state legislature in 2002 and signed by Governor Gray Davis. The law makes it possible for anyone to be ordered into psychiatric treatment if determined appropriate by authorities. Non-compliant "patients" are not given a choice, pending involuntary incarceration.Each county within the state of California has the option of implementing Laura's Law. Los Angeles County implemented it in 2004. San Diego County undertook a 90-day review of the law in March 2013 as it considers implementation.
The law is named for Laura Wilcox, who was shot and killed at the age of 19 by a man with untreated, severe mental illness.
How do you qualify for forced psychiatric treatment under Laura's Law?
Authorities simply determine that you meet the state approved criteria. In California, the criteria are as follows:Inpatient: (1) Danger to self/others or (2) unable to provide for basic personal needs for food, clothing, or shelter.
Outpatient: Condition likely to substantially deteriorate, unlikely to survive safely in community without supervision, history of noncompliance which includes two hospitalizations in past 36 months or act/threat/attempt of violence to self/others in 48 months immediately preceding petition filing, likely needs to prevent meeting inpatient standard, and likely to benefit from assisted treatment.
Glancing over these standards quickly is dangerous because they are written to appear strict and reasonable. If we break them down, however, you can see that the wildly vague language used is open to broad interpretation.
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