***** IMPORTANT NOTICE*****

PUBLIC HEARING ON SB 226

State Senator Edwin Erickson, Chair of the Public Health & Welfare Committee, has scheduled public hearings for Senate Bill 226 on

Tuesday, October 2, 2007 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
in Hearing Room One, North Office Building
of the State Capitol in Harrisburg, PA.

We ask family members, consumers, psychiatrists, case managers, county administrators, providers, members of law enforcement or others who would be interested in testifying at this hearing to please email Jeanette Castello at jcastello07@comcast.net as soon as possible.

We also encourage everyone to attend this very important hearing on this assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) legislation that was originally proposed by State Senator Stewart Greenleaf. 

The main goal of AOT is to enable more consistent adherence to treatment for the small minority of people whose severe mental illnesses impair their ability to seek and voluntarily comply with treatment.

As most of you are aware, SB 226 is modeled after New York's highly successful Kendra's Law.  The outcomes speak for themselves in the percentage of reductions of hospitalizations (69%), homelessness (55%), and incarcerations (78%).   Xavier Amador, Ph.D., author of I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help, recently stated, "AOT is a vital tool that we need to help people who have anosognosia, or lack of insight, for mental illness."

We encourage everyone to attend. Even if you are not available to testify, your presence at these hearings will make a difference. If you are not able to attend the hearing, you can submit your personal story or comments about AOT and SB 226 in writing directly to Michele Hansarick, Executive Director, Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, 281 Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg, PA   17120-3026, 717-787-1350, mhansari@pasen.gov.

Please help to give Pennsylvania this very vital tool, assisted outpatient treatment (AOT,) by attending and/or testifying at the public hearings for SB 226 on October 2. 

Additional information about testifying at a public hearing

Anyone who is testifying at the public hearing on October 2, will need to submit contact information -  name, address, phone number, and e-mail address (if available) and also state why you want to testify (e.g. you are a family member and want to share your thoughts; you are a person suffering from mental illness; you are a mental health professional; etc) and if you support or oppose involuntary outpatient commitment and the provisions of SB 226.  The person testifying should be prepared to speak for 3-5 minutes, have your testimony typed, and provide 30 copies (that will be given out to the members of the committee and others). Although you are not required to submit your written testimony prior to the hearing, those testifying can send it to Michele Hansarick (see below) beforehand.  This will give the committee a chance to better understand the issues and concerns you're presenting. 

If you want to send your testimony prior to the hearing (or for anyone who does not wish to testify but would like to submit their personal story or comments) please send them to:

Michele Hansarick

Executive Director, Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee

281 Main Capitol Building

Harrisburg, PA 17120-3026

Fax:717-787-1350,

Email:mhansari@pasen.gov