Maryland Launches Statewide Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program

Maryland has begun implementing a statewide assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) program that allows civil courts to order community-based mental health treatment for certain adults with severe mental illness (SMI) who have difficulty engaging in voluntary treatment. The launch marks a significant change in Maryland's behavioral health system: before the legislation authorizing AOT passed in 2024, Maryland was one of three states that had not authorized civil courts to order participation in outpatient mental health treatment.

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) launched the first phase of AOT on August 20, 2026, in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and . . .