Proposed Bill No. 6551 aims to enhance the framework for assisted outpatient treatment for individuals with severe mental illness. The bill introduces several key changes to current law, including a new definition of "serious harm" that encompasses a substantial inability to meet basic needs and psychiatric deterioration. It broadens the criteria for assessing the need for mental health interventions and expands the pool of professionals eligible to conduct mental health assessments to include psychiatric advanced practice registered nurses and clinical social workers. Additionally, the bill emphasizes a flexible approach to involuntary treatment, prioritizing the least restrictive interventions and individual potential.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that hospitals and psychiatric treatment facilities evaluate patients for potential assisted outpatient treatment prior to discharge and requires notification to community mental health care providers regarding patient admissions and discharges. It also calls for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to provide training to healthcare providers on these new provisions. The overarching goal of the bill is to reduce recurrent hospitalizations, prevent premature deaths, enhance public safety, and improve the quality of mental health care while ensuring a commitment to community-based services and the respect of individual rights.