Ann Corcoran

And that's why we developed our caregiver's guide to put these little tips in there because it is really outside of the box thinking and things that you can do. One of the things, you know, families will often feel like, well, there's nothing I can do. And I'll always say, there's always something you can do.

It might not be something that people often do, but we really need to be creative in the way we're dealing with the criminal justice system when family members are involved. Because oftentimes it can mean the difference between them being incarcerated and serving time versus them being on probation and having mental health treatment.

It might not be something that people often do, but we really need to be creative in the way we're dealing with the criminal justice system when family members are involved. Because oftentimes it can mean the difference between them being incarcerated and serving time versus them being on probation and having mental health treatment.

It might not be something that people often do, but we really need to be creative in the way we're dealing with the criminal justice system when family members are involved. Because oftentimes it can mean the difference between them being incarcerated and serving time versus them being on probation and having mental health treatment.

It is. And I have to say, we're doing, you know, I forget, I'm not really sure how many mental health courts we have in Massachusetts, but those seem to, you know, we do have them in some areas. So if you commit a crime in a city that has a mental health court, you're pretty lucky. If you don't, then, you know, you might not be so lucky because you're right.

It is. And I have to say, we're doing, you know, I forget, I'm not really sure how many mental health courts we have in Massachusetts, but those seem to, you know, we do have them in some areas. So if you commit a crime in a city that has a mental health court, you're pretty lucky. If you don't, then, you know, you might not be so lucky because you're right.

It is. And I have to say, we're doing, you know, I forget, I'm not really sure how many mental health courts we have in Massachusetts, but those seem to, you know, we do have them in some areas. So if you commit a crime in a city that has a mental health court, you're pretty lucky. If you don't, then, you know, you might not be so lucky because you're right.

The judges, the prosecutors, defense attorneys, most of the time they don't understand it. And that's, again, where families need to be proactive and be involved because it's really our job to educate them because they're not mental health professionals. Why would they necessarily know if no one tells them?

The judges, the prosecutors, defense attorneys, most of the time they don't understand it. And that's, again, where families need to be proactive and be involved because it's really our job to educate them because they're not mental health professionals. Why would they necessarily know if no one tells them?

The judges, the prosecutors, defense attorneys, most of the time they don't understand it. And that's, again, where families need to be proactive and be involved because it's really our job to educate them because they're not mental health professionals. Why would they necessarily know if no one tells them?

Yeah. And Tony, it's not all it's not necessarily because they have no place to go. It's because they are in psychosis and don't want to be at home. I had another family that I was involved with NSSC and their son was in complete psychosis after going off his meds, left their house. I believe it was like, you know, in the middle of the winter.

Yeah. And Tony, it's not all it's not necessarily because they have no place to go. It's because they are in psychosis and don't want to be at home. I had another family that I was involved with NSSC and their son was in complete psychosis after going off his meds, left their house. I believe it was like, you know, in the middle of the winter.

Yeah. And Tony, it's not all it's not necessarily because they have no place to go. It's because they are in psychosis and don't want to be at home. I had another family that I was involved with NSSC and their son was in complete psychosis after going off his meds, left their house. I believe it was like, you know, in the middle of the winter.

In the spring, he was found in downtown Boston, unable to walk, really in pretty bad shape. And the family thought, we found him. This is great. We'll get him in the hospital, get him back on his medications, and hopefully things will improve from there. But he went to the hospital, was there, and I got a call from the dad two weeks later. Their son had died in the hospital from an infection.

In the spring, he was found in downtown Boston, unable to walk, really in pretty bad shape. And the family thought, we found him. This is great. We'll get him in the hospital, get him back on his medications, and hopefully things will improve from there. But he went to the hospital, was there, and I got a call from the dad two weeks later. Their son had died in the hospital from an infection.

In the spring, he was found in downtown Boston, unable to walk, really in pretty bad shape. And the family thought, we found him. This is great. We'll get him in the hospital, get him back on his medications, and hopefully things will improve from there. But he went to the hospital, was there, and I got a call from the dad two weeks later. Their son had died in the hospital from an infection.

So he had a loving home. He was college educated. So it's not that these individuals have no place to live. It's an untreated psychosis that leads them to the streets. And that's pretty sad when we have solutions and we're, again, we're allowing this preventable suffering.

So he had a loving home. He was college educated. So it's not that these individuals have no place to live. It's an untreated psychosis that leads them to the streets. And that's pretty sad when we have solutions and we're, again, we're allowing this preventable suffering.

So he had a loving home. He was college educated. So it's not that these individuals have no place to live. It's an untreated psychosis that leads them to the streets. And that's pretty sad when we have solutions and we're, again, we're allowing this preventable suffering.

Well, I think that there really needs to be more of a focus on assisted outpatient treatment. Again, there's two states, Massachusetts and Connecticut, that don't have the laws. That doesn't mean that all the other states have great AOT laws or utilize them the way they should be. But my hope is that we're going to strengthen these AOT laws. It is very state by state, but it's