ARLINGTON, VA-April 8, 2010-The Maine Legislature passed a bill yesterday to bring crucial mental health reform to severely mentally ill individuals struggling with treatment compliance. Once signed by the governor, the bill would make Maine the 44th state to adopt assisted outpatient treatment.

Championed by state Senators John Nutting (D-Leeds) and Peter Mills (R-Cornville), LD 1360 would apply to mentally ill individuals who are incapable of seeking treatment voluntarily, and those whose conditions have deteriorated as a result of rejecting treatment.

“By passage of this bill the Maine legislature has taken a huge step to allow those with no awareness of their mental illness to receive help before a tragedy,” said Sen. Nutting. “It’s a great day for people with mental illness and their families.”

The new measure would authorize a court, upon a petition, to require a severely mentally ill individual to participate in treatment as a condition for remaining in the community.

“Maine has had too many preventable tragedies involving untreated severe mental illness,” said James Pavle, Executive Director of the Treatment Advocacy Center. “If Gov. Baldacci signs the bill, Maine will have a new tool to reduce hospitalization rates, homelessness, arrests and incarceration, while saving money and lives.”

“This new law is a breakthrough. Not only will it protect rights, it will also provide safety and quality of life for the individuals, their families and the community,” said Joe Bruce, who worked with Sens. Nutting and Mills to change the law. A resident of Caratunk, Bruce became a prominent mental health reform advocate after his family was afflicted by a tragedy caused by mental illness that went untreated.

Treatment non-adherence is a problem for some individuals with the most severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It can render an individual unable to recognize his or her illness and need for treatment – a condition called anosognosia. LD 1360 clarifies the existing law and allows individuals suffering from severe mental illness to be treated in the community rather than a more restrictive hospital setting.

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The Treatment Advocacy Center (www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating barriers to the timely and effective treatment of severe mental illnesses. TAC promotes laws, policies, and practices for the delivery of psychiatric care and supports the development of innovative treatments for and research into the causes of severe and persistent psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.