"He also signed Kendra’s Law. Officially known by the euphemism Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), the law establishes a stringent outpatient regimen for those who are mentally ill and have a history of resisting therapy and a record of violent behavior. A treatment plan is imposed by court order and monitored by a case manager or “Assertive Community Team.” A patient who refuses to follow the program can be committed to a hospital for up to 72 hours. More than 16,000 New Yorkers have passed through AOT since the law took effect, and some 3,000 New Yorkers are currently living under AOT court orders."

The Marshall Project

September 3, 2018