New York Standardizes Voluntary Alternative To Court-Ordered Assisted Outpatient Mental Health Treatment

The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) has established statewide guidelines to standardize the use of Enhanced Voluntary Agreements (EVAs) as an alternative to court-ordered Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) for certain people with serious mental illness. AOT, established under New York’s Kendra’s Law, permits courts to order community-based mental health treatment for certain individuals with serious mental illness who meet statutory eligibility criteria. EVAs were already being used as a voluntary alternative, but practices varied across the state. OMH’s new statewide guidelines establish a standardized approach to their use.

The state’s Fiscal . . .