Does an individual have to have a psychiatric evaluation before being considered for an enhanced service?
No, an evaluation by a psychiatrist is not required. If an individual is given an enhanced service package is a signed agreement necessary? A signed voluntary agreement is not mandatory. However, the cooperation of the recipient with the treatment plan is vital for enhanced services to be effective. There should be a mechanism in place for these individuals to be monitored in a similar manner to that of AOT cases. Once it has been decided that an AOT order will be pursued, when does the clock start ticking? Once the physician has interviewed the subject, a petition must be filed within 10 days of that psychiatric evaluation. At what point in the process should Mental Hygiene Legal Services (MHLS) be involved? The subject of the petition has the right to be represented by counsel (either MHLS or a private attorney, at the person’s own expense) at all stages of the proceeding. The law does not require that MHLS be involved prior to the actual filing of the petition. Each LGU (local gover
