Las Vegas, NV October 30, 2018
The Treatment Advocacy Center
has analyzed the laws that provide evaluation and treatment to psychiatric
patients across the nation based on a scoring rubric. Nevada scored a "B" in reviewing the content of how
services are provided, the treatment time
frame, and if it leads to successful outcomes within each state. Nevada was one of 22 states that scored a B- or higher. Nevada's
Assisted Outpatient Program provides involuntary civil outpatient services for
those in our community who have behavioral health issues and require intensive
level of wrap-around mental health services.
Individualized services provided may include medication management, individual
and/or group counseling, intensive case management, transportation, residential
support, and linkage to community substance abuse programs. Family members or the state may petition
for an individual to be accepted into the court ordered program after repeated
inpatient hospitalizations or frequent law enforcement encounters. The intent
is to stabilize individuals through community-based treatment and
supports.
Nevada has inpatient civil commitment laws outlined in NRS 433A,
and in 2013, Nevada was the 45th state to institute Assisted Outpatient
Treatment (AOT) laws. Most recently, in 2017, Nevada adopted Assembly Bill 440
allowing criminal defendants to enter the AOT program by one of two methods; as a diversion
program or as a condition of their probation. An accepted petition
is valid for six months, and individuals may be re-petitioned to support their
journey of stabilization. The civil court judge is part of the
interdisciplinary team to help reinforce the progress of the individual. The
Treatment Advocacy Center positively noted that Nevada is one of only two
states that expressly uses a court monitoring of voluntary settlement
agreements.
Civil commitment laws are
intended to provide safe and secure mental health treatment to individuals who
are both presenting a danger to themselves or others in addition to those who
are repeatedly noncompliant and cycling through both the mental health and
criminal justice systems. Despite intentions for treatment and long-term
stabilization, programs like AOT are not without criticism. Many argue that
such programs “have no teeth” and are unable to make the
desired impact. However, despite these challenges, the state program in Clark
County can serve 100 clients and 75 clients in Washoe County, allowing many to
break the cycle of recidivism. Nevada
was one of five states to score a ‘B’ noting highest scores in areas such as
access to emergency evaluation, quality of emergency petition, emergency hold
duration, availability of treatment plan and consequences of non-adherence.
Nevada still has areas to
improve in terms of civil commitment laws. With rapid population growth of
increasingly complex individuals, Nevada’s mental health
providers will continue to expand in order to meet the needs of its community
and continue to provide select supportive services.
If you would like more
information visit:http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/storage/documents/grading-the-states.pdf