Any Means Necessary - Is This Another Option?

PA Needs To Bring Its Mental Health Legislation Up To Speed.

In the plight against treating mental illness, judges in Pennsylvania have just been given provisions to "order a person to seek outpatient treatment for mental illness." (http://blog.pennlive.com)

Is it right that judges have been given this power? I say yes. Currently, there are 42 states with such provisions that allow a judge to order treatment if the they can see a clear need for it. The downside to the legislation in Pennsylvania is that the judges can only require treatment if there is "clear and present danger" to themselves or others.

What I find wrong with this picture and as the posting states is that it is often too late when the judge orders treatment in the cases where danger is present. If the judge waits until there is "clear and present danger" then more times than not it is too late. And many of these people end up in prison where they do not belong and cannot get the proper treatment.

Hopefully the legislation being introduced by Sen.Stewart Greenleaf, which would make it so judges could order involuntary outpatient mental health treatment for those who need it for up to a six month period. (pennlive.com). I think this could be very beneficial to those families looking to seek treatment but their sick loved ones are unwilling.