Laura’s Law / AOT

Laura’s Law is a California state law that allows for court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment. To qualify for the program, the person must have a serious mental illness plus a recent history of psychiatric hospitalizations, jailings or acts, threats or attempts of serious violent behavior towards

[self] or others.

The law was named after Laura Wilcox, a mental health worker who was killed by a man who had refused psychiatric treatment.

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”I never heard the term mental illness until I came to NAMI. Even my psychiatrists only said depression or bipolar. When I took the In Our Own Voice training and I heard I had a brain disorder, an illness like any other, it was such a relief.”

“My personal journey with mental illness began in 2011 after being deployed to Iraq for a year. As the medical support, I was exposed to levels of human trauma rarely seen by others. It changed how I see people and how fragile and how much of a gift life really is. NAMI makes a difference in my life by changing how accepted I feel in the conversations I have with my peers. Also how motivated people are to not only get better but stay better and encourage others to be the absolute best they can be.”

“My personal journey with mental illness began 7-8 years ago. After getting diagnosed, recognizing what approach to take, taking responsibility towards acceptance, learning tools and skills, then applying those tools and skills. NAMI San Diego makes a difference in my life by opening me up to learn new aspects of helping, volunteering, sharing, listening to many different views and perspectives of changes and new improvements.”

“I grew up with a dad as a combat vet with PTSD and a sister who lives with schizophrenia. I went to combat a couple times and PTSD/GAD are a part of me now. Many of my vet friends are also living with PTSD, GAD, TBI, etc. NAMI allowed me to be myself without being ashamed about it. NAMI gives me the support and environment needed to continue living in recovery without fear of prejudice whenever I have sporadic flashbacks.”

“Several of my family members possibly have paranoid schizophrenia. My personal journey with this disease began when I was 5 yrs. old, with my father. He had years of relapses and hospitalizations before he passed. Now my youngest son suffers from the same disease. NAMI SD has helped me throughout this process.”

“The most important resources and advocates I have found in one word … NAMI. Thank heaven I found this organization. I was lost, didn’t know who to talk to, didn’t know who had been through the same experiences I had, could find no information that was helpful or if I found it, it was so scary that I couldn’t read it. One day I heard about this organization. I called … and what I got was a sanity saver.”

[mental illness] “Prevents me from participating in the world of employment. NAMI San Diego has helped me by boosting my confidence in the world of technology. This knowledge will assist me one day in the employment community.”

“I think because of my mental illness I’ve become a very accepting person. I have made many friends with mental illnesses along the way and we have helped each other to get through difficult times. My fiancé has a mental illness as well. We met each other at a support group almost 8 years ago and we are still together and very supportive of each other. Even today I am very lucky to have so many family and friend who are so accepting of my despite my diagnosis.”

“I feel so lucky to have found Hope and light thru my darkness – only when I was at my weakest point I found someone who cared through the Helpline. They were willing to listen and seemed to accept me for who I am. I found resources and guidance to the peer support NAMI office. So a big thanks to NAMI but especially the Helpline!!”

“Mental illness affect me because it runs in my family. NAMI San Diego has made a difference in my life by making support groups available to me. By providing resources and support classes that enabled me to do school work and achieving my goals.”

“For me, support groups have never been the best source of support. But I knew about the free 12 week course Family-to-Family through NAMI San Diego and decided to take the time out of my busy schedule to take the first class. I finally put a pause to my busy life and quickly realized that the reasons why I had put off taking the class were all of a sudden no longer important. Each class was jam packed with information and I was picking up things like a sponge. It gave me a different perspective on what my dad was going through and different ways to approach him.”

“Survivor of suicide loss – Two years ago, I lost my father to suicide. His struggle with addiction and depression opened my eyes to the stigma of mental illness and the trauma of loss. I began volunteering with NAMI the summer after my father died and I feel incredibly grateful for every opportunity to provide hope and support to all those affected by mental illness.”

Laura’s Law / AOT

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