SF Supervisors Set to Vote on Laura's Law

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors votes Tuesday on whether or not to implement the state’s assisted outpatient treatment law, or Laura’s Law. First enacted in California over a decade ago, the law allows courts to compel outpatient care for mentally ill patients who have a history of unsuccessful treatment. Proponents of the law in the few counties where it has been implemented say it’s helping those too ill to help themselves. Opponents say it leads to a loss of civil liberties and creates new, unneeded bureaucracy when what’s really needed are increased outpatient services for the mentally ill.

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