SANTA FE, N.M. — A new court-supported initiative is giving families in several New Mexico counties access to no-cost assistance when seeking mental health treatment options for loved ones with serious mental illness.
The Administrative Office of the Courts announced the new referral service this week, designed to help qualified family members determine whether a loved one may be eligible for Assisted Outpatient Treatment, or AOT.
The program serves residents in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Mora, Guadalupe, and San Juan counties. Eligible family members, including parents, spouses, adult children, siblings, or adults living with the individual, can receive assistance navigating the process.
Under the initiative, court staff will connect families with qualified mental health professionals who can evaluate whether an individual meets the requirements for assisted outpatient treatment. Those professionals may also help prepare portions of the documentation needed to petition a district court.
Assisted Outpatient Treatment is a court-supervised treatment option available to some adults with serious mental illness who have a history of repeated hospitalizations, incarceration, or difficulty complying with treatment plans. Court officials say the program is intended to help individuals receive treatment in a community setting while maintaining judicial oversight.
The initiative was developed through a partnership between the Administrative Office of the Courts and the University of New Mexico Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Funding was provided through a legislative appropriation aimed at expanding behavioral health services across the state.
Officials emphasized that participation in the referral program does not guarantee a court order. District courts will continue to make final determinations on whether an individual qualifies for Assisted Outpatient Treatment.
