Families and advocates urge Alameda County to adopt AB1421 (Laura’s Law) for assisted outpatient treatment

During public comment at the Sept. 15 Board of Supervisors meeting, several family members and advocates urged the board to adopt AB1421—commonly called Laura’s Law—arguing assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) can prevent suicides and repeated crises.

"Please do not let suicide be their last choice," one speaker said, urging supervisors to support outpatient involuntary treatment as an intervention for people who cannot make rational choices because of severe mental illness. Family members described personal tragedies and longstanding struggles to get county adoption of Laura’s Law, saying stakeholder processes sidelined pro‑AOT voices and that families volunteer their time while some consumer groups and agency representatives oppose the measure.

Justin Peterson, who identified himself as a resident of Livermore, told the board his brother attempted suicide and later had extensive medical costs. He asked the supervisors to "bring AB 1421, Laura’s Law, back up for a vote and pass it." Other speakers, including Candy DeWitt and Rosemary Hardy, described local incidents of violence involving people they said lacked treatment and argued the county should take leadership to implement Lohr/Laura’s Law models used elsewhere in California.

County staff did not act on adoption during the meeting; the speeches were part of the public comment record and the advocates said they will continue lobbying the board to place the measure on a future agenda. The board and staff have previously discussed stakeholder processes; family speakers asked for a process that gives them meaningful input and a public path to a board vote.