Telecare Opens New Laura’s Law Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program in San Diego
/(L-R) Natalie D. Blair, Program Administrator; Zenaida "Zee" Vega, Receptionist; Christine "Dee Dee" Ortego, PSC 3; Scott Jackson, PSC 3; Jane Sia-Flaherty, MHRS;
Sandra Tello, PSC 2; Amy Siez, Peer Support Specialist
Telecare is pleased to announce the opening of our fourth Laura’s Law program in California, created in partnership with San Diego County Behavioral Health Services: the Telecare San Diego Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Program. Our AOT programs offer wraparound, intensive supports for people who are court-ordered into care after meeting specific Laura’s Law criteria.
San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors approved the implementation of Laura’s Law in April 2015. This new AOT program enables the county to expand its safety net to people who need mental health services but have not been willing to engage in treatment.
The AOT program will operate in tandem with existing voluntary services called In Home Outreach Teams (IHOT). Residents in the north regions of San Diego can contact Mental Health Systems Inc. for IHOT referrals; residents in the central, east, and south regions can contact Telecare’s IHOT program. The IHOT teams will do their best to engage people in services on a voluntary basis. If a person refuses services, but meets the nine Laura’s Law criteria, the individual can be mandated into the AOT program to receive the support and services needed.
“Although the IHOT programs have been extremely successful in San Diego, the option of AOT is a valuable, additional tool we can use to help these individuals stay in contact with mental health resources that are designed to help them function more safely and securely in the community,” said IHOT Administrator Roselyna Rosado.
More about how IHOT and AOT link services and referral information can be found here.
