Each day someone in Contra Costa County who is suffering with a mental illness goes untreated.  They aren’t receiving care because too often the law stands in the way.  By enacting Laura’s Law Now, Contra Costa County can remove some of the barriers that stand between illness and recovery. 

Current laws do not allow many people suffering from a severe mental illness to receive the treatment they need until its too late.  The results are tragic – each year hundreds of people with untreated mental illness in Contra Costa County suffer homelessness, suicide, victimization, criminalization and repeated hospitalizations.   Contra County's failure to treat severe mental illnesses threatens the health and safety of people with the diseases and those around them. 

You can help by becoming an advocate!

You can help restore reason to treating mental illness in Contra Costa County today.  Be part of the California Treatment Advocacy Coalition in urging the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to enact Laura’s Law Now.   This law will allow people with severe mental illnesses who need assisted outpatient treatment to receive the help they need in a timely manner.  Laura’s Law will offer assisted outpatient treatment as an option for people who are unable to seek treatment on their own.

Educate Yourself and Others

Writing a letter to the editor for your local newspaper can help spread the word.

Become familiar with Laura's Law and assisted outpatient treatment in order to become a more effective advocate.

• Laura’s Law will reduce hospitalizations.
• Laura’s Law will reduce homelessness.
• Laura’s Law will reduce arrests.
• Laura’s Law will reduce victimization and violence.    
• Laura’s Law will improve treatment compliance.