Assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) is a civil legal procedure in which a person with severe mental illness is ordered by a judge to follow a court-ordered treatment plan in the community due to being deemed a serious risk of harm to self or others. In partnership with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, and with funding from state legislature, the Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC) is designing and executing a mixed methods evaluation of the pilot AOT program in Georgia.

The evaluation will assess site-specific and program-level implementation and impact of the Georgia AOT pilot initiative on program participants, providers, associated stakeholders, and the state mental health system. Additionally, GHPC will examine data related to participant demographic, service utilization, program fidelity, costs, and outcomes to determine effectiveness at reducing hospitalization, criminal justice interactions, and cost, as well as impact on mental health outcomes.

Behavioral Health

Research & Evaluation