May 17, 2018 — On May 14, 2018, the Lorain County Probate Court began the New Journey Court, an Assisted Outpatient Treatment track for persons with serious mental illness.

Assisted Outpatient Treatment or AOT, is the practice of delivering outpatient treatment under court order to adults with severe mental illness who meet specific criteria, such as a prior history of hospitalizations or arrest.

Families across Lorain County will now have an additional tool to help their loved ones who continue to struggle with serious mental illness.

"It is about the best tool we have to help people who have trouble with engaging in treatment for severe mental illness, through no fault of their own," said Brian Stettin, policy director for the Treatment Advocacy Center. "People are caught in this revolving door, where they are coming into hospitals again and again, stabilized, released and disengaging again and going through this tragic cycle repeatedly."

The New Journey Court is collaborating with the Stepping Up Initiative in Lorain County. Stepping Up is a national effort to divert people with mental illness from jails and into treatment. The number of people with mental illness in our jails has reached crisis levels. Successful AOT programs can:

- Reduce re-hospitalization
- Reduce arrest and jail visits
- Reduce re-victimization
- Reduce serious acts of violence
- Reduce costs
- Reduce harmful behaviors

Before the program participant is released from the hospital, they are given an outpatient treatment plan and a court date. The program participant is assigned a case manager with a local service provider. The treatment team collaborate on a treatment plan, while also providing assistance for housing, transportation, employment, etc. The Probate Judge and the participant meet in Court to discuss the participant's progress, treatment plan adherence and future goals.

"AOT has been shown to greatly increase medication adherence, reduce costs from hospital readmission and promotes mental health recovery. This is not a cure-all, but it is important piece of the mental health puzzle" said Lorain County Probate Court Judge James T. Walther. "A person should not be required to commit a crime as the price for admission to receive mental health treatment."

Currently, there are 15 AOT programs operating in Ohio including Cuyahoga and Summit Counties.