{"id":74792,"date":"2025-12-31T15:47:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/74792\/"},"modified":"2025-12-31T15:47:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:47:10","slug":"pennsylvanias-allegheny-county-implementing-involuntary-outpatient-mental-health-care-services-local-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/74792\/","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania&#8217;s Allegheny County implementing involuntary outpatient mental health care services | Local News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Allegheny County will use a controversial legal tool for involuntary mental health care in the community starting Jan. 1, according to a letter county officials sent Tuesday to the state\u2019s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Called assisted outpatient treatment (AOT), it\u2019s a law that no other Pennsylvania county has been able to successfully implement since state lawmakers voted for it in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>The county developed its AOT plan based on research evidence, advice from local and national experts, and collaboration with partners across county government, wrote Erin Dalton, director of the county\u2019s Department of Human Services, in the letter addressed to Deputy Secretary Jennifer Smith.<\/p>\n<p>kAms2=E@? 2?5 @E96C 9F&gt;2? D6CG:46D @77:4:2=D 6IA=2:?65 E96 4@F?EJ\u2019D C62D@?:?8 5FC:?8 2? :?E6CG:6H %F6D52J H:E9 !:EED3FC89\u2019D !F3=:4 $@FC46]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c(6\u2019G6 4@?4=F565 E92E E96 C:D36C @7 D2768F2C5D \ud83d\ude15 A=246\u201d E@ &gt;:E:82E6 E96 92C&gt; E92E :?G@=F?E2CJ EC62E&gt;6?E 42? 42FD6[ D96 D2:5]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm~77:4:2=D H6C6 &gt;@E:G2E65 E@ 24E 3J \u201cA6@A=6\u2019D 42==D 7@C D@&gt;6E9:?8 2E 2 =@H6C E9C6D9@=5 @7 C:D&lt; E92? 52?86C E@ D6=7 @C @E96CD[\u201d s2=E@? 25565[ C676CC:?8 E@ E96 =682= C6BF:C6&gt;6?ED 7@C :?G@=F?E2CJ 9@DA:E2=:K2E:@?[ @H? 2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2==6896?J4@F?EJ]FD^7:=6D^2DD6ED^4@F?EJ^G^a^D6CG:46D^59D^5@4F&gt;6?ED^EC2:?:?8D^D6CG:46\\4@@C5:?2E:@?\\?6H\\9:C6\\EC2:?:?8D^?9E\\`]b\\&gt;9\\AC@465FC6D\\24E\\b_a]A57Qmb_a 4@&gt;&gt;:E&gt;6?EDk^2m] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6HJ@C&lt;765]@C8^&gt;65:2=:3C2CJ^&gt;65:2^C6D62C49^DE2770C6A@CED^DC&#8220;dg]A57nD40=2?8l6?Qmx? 2 A2A6C AF3=:D965 \ud83d\ude15 yF=Jk^2m[ 2 E62&gt; @7 C6D62C496CD \u2014 :?4=F5:?8 @?6 32D65 2E E96 s6A2CE&gt;6?E @7 wF&gt;2? $6CG:46D \u2014 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AF3=:4D@FC46]@C8^&gt;6?E2=\\962=E9\\DEF5J\\C6G62=D\\52?86CD\\@7\\b_a\\4@&gt;&gt;:E&gt;6?ED\\2==6896?J\\4@F?EJ^Qm6DE23=:D965 2 42FD2= =:? 2 A6CD@? 6IA6C:6?46D 27E6C E96J\u2019C6 5:D492C865[ :?4=F5:?8 36:?8 492C865 H:E9 2 G:@=6?E 4C:&gt;6 2?5 5J:?8 @7 DF:4:56 @C @G6C5@D6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96J 5@?\u2019E H2?E \u201cE@ H2:E 2?5 H2E49 E96:C =@G65 @?6D 564@&gt;A6?D2E6 \ud83d\ude15 E92E H2J @C H2:E 7@C D@&gt;6E9:?8 &gt;@C6 492==6?8:?8 E@ 92AA6?]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 4@F?EJ H:== 6DE23=:D9 2? 25G:D@CJ 8C@FA E@ &gt;@?:E@C :&gt;A=6&gt;6?E2E:@? 2?5 C6G:6H AC@8C6DD E9C@F89 a_ae[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 =6EE6C] r@?7:C&gt;65 &gt;6&gt;36CD :?4=F56 2 7@C&gt;6C &amp;]$] pEE@C?6J 7@C E96 (6DE6C? s:DEC:4E @7 !6??DJ=G2?:2[ E96 5:C64E@C @7 2 =@42= 4@FCE H2E49 AC@8C2&gt;[ 2? F?:56?E:7:65 ADJ49:2EC:DE[ EH@ 24256&gt;:4 6IA6CED[ 2 5:D23:=:EJ C:89ED 2EE@C?6J 2?5 E96 5:C64E@C @7 2 &gt;2;@C AC@G:56C @7 D96=E6C D6CG:46D \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@F?EJ]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm~?6 &gt;6&gt;36C[ }6G y@?6D[ 2? 2DD@4:2E6 AC@76DD@C @7 D@4:2= H@C&lt; 2E E96 &amp;?:G6CD:EJ @7 !:EED3FC89 2?5 @?6 @7 E96 7:6C46DE 4C:E:4D @7 E96 4@F?EJ\u2019D p~% A=2?[ D2:5 D96\u2019D \u201c?@E DFCAC:D65\u201d 3J E96 4@F?EJ\u2019D 564:D:@? E@ :&gt;A=6&gt;6?E E96 =2H] $96 A@:?E65 E@ 2 ?2E:@?H:56 D9:7E \ud83d\ude15 C646?E J62CD E@H2C5 DEC6?8E96?:?8 :?G@=F?E2CJ &gt;6?E2= 962=E9 AC24E:46D[ 4@&gt;A@F?565 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H9:E69@FD6]8@G^AC6D:56?E:2=\\24E:@?D^a_ad^_f^6?5:?8\\4C:&gt;6\\2?5\\5:D@C56C\\@?\\2&gt;6C:42D\\DEC66ED^Qm2? 6I64FE:G6 @C56Ck^2m :DDF65 3J !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF&gt;A \ud83d\ude15 yF=J E92E 2:&gt;D E@ :?DE:EFE:@?2=:K6 F?9@FD65 A6@A=6 H9@ 92G6 &gt;6?E2= :==?6DD6D[ DF3DE2?46 FD6 5:D@C56CD[ @C 3@E9]k^Am<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px; color: #666; text-transform: uppercase\">Story continues below video<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 2??@F?46&gt;6?E 7@==@HD 2 =6?8E9J DE2&lt;69@=56C 6?8286&gt;6?E AC@46DD[ 5C:G6? \ud83d\ude15 A2CE 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AF3=:4D@FC46]@C8^42E68@CJ^H96?\\42C6\\:D\\4@&gt;AF=D@CJ^Qm2 !F3=:4 $@FC46 :?G6DE:82E:@?k^2m E9:D J62C @7 :?G@=F?E2CJ EC62E&gt;6?E 96C6 2?5 \ud83d\ude15 @E96C ;FC:D5:4E:@?D] p=&gt;@DE 6I24E=J 2 J62C 28@[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AF3=:4D@FC46]@C8^2==6896?J\\4@F?EJ\\2DD:DE65\\@FEA2E:6?E\\EC62E&gt;6?E\\2@E\\:?G@=F?E2CJ\\b_a^QmE96 4@F?EJ BF:6E=J :?7@C&gt;65 E96 DE2E6k^2m E92E :E H@F=5 :&gt;A=6&gt;6?E E96 DE2E6\u2019D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A2=68:D]FD^DE2EFE6D^F?4@?D@=:52E65^=2H\\:?7@C&gt;2E:@?^G:6H\\DE2EFE6nEIE%JA6l!suU2&gt;Aj$6DD*Cla_`gU2&gt;Ajp4E}F&gt;l_`_e]U2&gt;Aj$6DDx?5l_Qmp~% DE2EFE6k^2m 3J $6AE] `] p7E6C 2? :?BF:CJ 7C@&gt; !F3=:4 $@FC46 \ud83d\ude15 pAC:=[ @77:4:2=D 7C@&gt; E96 4@F?EJ\u2019D s6A2CE&gt;6?E @7 wF&gt;2? $6CG:46D D2:5 E96 4@F?EJ H2D \u201cDE:== \ud83d\ude15 6IA=@C2E:@?\u201d 2?5 925?\u2019E &gt;256 2 564:D:@? J6E]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmpE E96 E:&gt;6[ ?6HD @7 E96 4@F?EJ\u2019D :?E6C6DE \ud83d\ude15 p~% :?DA:C65 9@A6 2&gt;@?8 E96 =2H\u2019D 25G@42E6D \u2014 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2@E7@C2==6896?J4@F?EJ]4@&gt;^Qm:?4=F5:?8 D@&gt;6 72&gt;:=J &gt;6&gt;36CDk^2m @7 A6@A=6 H:E9 D6C:@FD &gt;6?E2= :==?6DD \u2014 H9@ 925 =@?8 AFD965 7@C &gt;@C6 7@C467F= :?E6CG6?E:@? E@ 96=A E9@D6 H9@ C6D:DE EC62E&gt;6?E 367@C6 E96J C6249 2 4C:D:D A@:?E]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmp?5 :E EC:886C65 @FE4CJ 7C@&gt; 4C:E:4D @7 p~%[ :?4=F5:?8 4=:?:42= 2?5 24256&gt;:4 6IA6CED H9@ D2:5 :?G@=F?E2CJ 42C6 42? 56DEC@J 2 A2E:6?E\u2019D ECFDE \ud83d\ude15 E96 AF3=:4 &gt;6?E2= 962=E9 DJDE6&gt; 2?5 92D D6C:@FD :&gt;A=:42E:@?D 7@C E96 4:G:= C:89ED 2?5 :?5:G:5F2= 2FE@?@&gt;J @7 D@&gt;6 @7 E96 &gt;@DE GF=?6C23=6 A6@A=6 \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@F?EJ]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 4@F?EJ\u2019D :?:E:2= $6AE] ` 5625=:?6 A2DD65 2D :E 4@?E:?F65 E@ 6?8286 H:E9 DE2&lt;69@=56CD 2?5 4@?G6?65 2 H@C&lt;:?8 8C@FA E92E :?4=F565 @77:4:2=D 24C@DD 4@F?EJ 8@G6C?&gt;6?E[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 r@FCE @7 r@&gt;&gt;@? !=62D[ E96 ~77:46 @7 E96 !F3=:4 s676?56C \u2014 H9:49 H:== C6AC6D6?E E9@D6 724:?8 p~% A6E:E:@?D \u2014 2?5 @E96CD] xE 2=D@ 4@?DF=E65 H:E9 @77:4:2=D 7C@&gt; @E96C ;FC:D5:4E:@?D H:E9 6I:DE:?8 p~% AC@8C2&gt;D[ :?4=F5:?8 E9@D6 \ud83d\ude15 r2=:7@C?:2 2?5 }6H *@C&lt; DE2E6[ H9:49 6?24E65 E96 ?2E:@?\u2019D 7:CDE p~% DE2EFE6[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^&gt;J]@&gt;9]?J]8@G^2?2=JE:4D^D2H]5==n52D93@2C5Qmz6?5C2\u2019D {2Hk^2m[ \ud83d\ude15 `hhh]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmp~% \ud83d\ude00 2 =682= &gt;6492?:D&gt; 7@C :?G@=F?E2C:=J EC62E:?8 A6@A=6 H:E9 D6C:@FD &gt;6?E2= :==?6DD H:E9@FE 9@DA:E2=:K:?8 E96&gt;] %96 =2H DE2E6D \u201c2?J C6DA@?D:3=6 A2CEJ\u201d 42? 7:=6 2? p~% A6E:E:@?[ H9:49 DE2CED 2 4:G:= 4@FCE AC@465FC6] sFC:?8 2 962C:?8[ 2 ;F586 &gt;2J @C56C 2 A6CD@? E@ F?56C8@ EC62E&gt;6?E \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@&gt;&gt;F?:EJ[ H9:49 EJA:42==J :?4=F56D ADJ49:2EC:4 &gt;65:42E:@?[ 3FE 42? 2=D@ :?4=F56 E96C2AJ 2?5 @E96C HC2A2C@F?5 D6CG:46D] %96 DE2EFE6 32CD 4@FCED 7C@&gt; 9@=5:?8 D@&gt;6@?6 \ud83d\ude15 4@?E6&gt;AE @C :DDF:?8 A6?2=E:6D 7@C ?@E 7@==@H:?8 E96:C EC62E&gt;6?E A=2?[ H9:49 &gt;2&lt;6D E96 =2H 5:77:4F=E E@ 6?7@C46] $@&gt;6 6IA6CED 42==65 :E \u201cE@@E9=6DD]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D:E6D]8@@8=6]4@&gt;^G:6H^EC2?D7@C&gt;&gt;9A:EED3FC89^&gt;2J\\2@E\\=6EE6CQmx? 2 |2J =6EE6Ck^2m[ ?62C=J g_ 4@F?EJ C6D:56?ED 2?5 6IA6CED 7C@&gt; 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ FC865 r@F?EJ tI64FE:G6 $2C2 x??2&gt;@C2E@ 2?5 r@F?EJ r@F?4:= &gt;6&gt;36CD E@ \u201c492==6?86\u201d E96 s6A2CE&gt;6?E @7 wF&gt;2? $6CG:46D\u2019 :?E6?E:@? E@ :&gt;A=6&gt;6?E p~% 2?5 56&gt;2?565 \u201cC@3FDE EC2?DA2C6?4J 2?5 244@F?E23:=:EJ[ :?4=F5:?8 E9:C5\\A2CEJ 6G2=F2E:@? \u2026 2?5 6?8286&gt;6?E H:E9 E9@D6 5:C64E=J :&gt;A24E65\u201d :7 :&gt;A=6&gt;6?E2E:@? &gt;@G65 7@CH2C5]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9C ^m<\/p>\n<p>kAm%9:D DE@CJ H2D @C:8:?2==J AF3=:D965 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AF3=:4D@FC46]@C8^Qm!:EED3FC89VD !F3=:4 $@FC46k^2m 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 E9C@F89 2 A2CE?6CD9:A H:E9 %96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Pittsburgh&#8217;s PublicSource.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Allegheny County will use a controversial legal tool for involuntary mental health care in the community starting Jan.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66600,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[27059,46,38,298,1057,29665,27953,37393,47,73,75,74,50,44],"class_list":["post-74792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pittsburgh","tag-civil-rights","tag-courts","tag-general-news","tag-government-policy","tag-health","tag-health-care-industry","tag-human-rights","tag-involuntary-outpatient-treatment","tag-mental-health","tag-pittsburgh","tag-pittsburgh-headlines","tag-pittsburgh-news","tag-politics","tag-u-s-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74792"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74792\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}