What is AOT?
Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) is the practice of providing community-based mental health treatment under civil court commitment, as a means of: (1) motivating an adult with mental illness who struggles with voluntary treatment adherence to engage fully with their treatment plan; and (2) focusing the attention of treatment providers on the need to work diligently to keep the person engaged in effective treatment.
Why is AOT beneficial for our community?
AOT can dramatically reduce hospitalization and criminal justice involvement for its target population. As a corollary, AOT can dramatically reduce the cost and strain to treatment systems struggling to serve individuals “caught in the revolving door.” AOT has also been shown to reduce a range of harmful behaviors and improve participants’ sense of personal engagement in their treatment.
Local AOT Contact
Brianna Snow // briannas@namiwoodcounty.org
State AOT Contact
Betsy Johnson // johnsonb@treatmentadvocacycenter.org
Frequently Asked Questions
A person can be admitted into the AOT Program if they are in at least one of the following situations:
- The person has just been released from an involuntary stay at the hospital
- To prevent the person from an involuntary hospital stay or incarceration
- The person has recently been released from jail or prison
Want more information?
Visit the Treatment Advocacy Center's website to learn more about AOT and how it makes a difference.