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(May 18, 2015) Last week, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law a series of significant mental health reforms.

One law will improve the state’s assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) law also known as the Less Restrictive Alternative (LRA). The new law opens up avenues for people with severe mental illness to be placed on court-ordered outpatient treatment and extends the duration of the outpatient plans.

Overrun by lawsuits tied to the state supreme court ruling and a lack of state mental health beds, lawmakers pushed to improve their AOT law to save money and allow people the chance to receive care in the community.

Another new measure, “Joel’s Law,” allows family members to ask a judge to step in if a mental health professional will not involuntarily commit a relative they believe could be suicidal or a danger to other.

Joel’s Law was inspired by Joel Reuter, who was killed in 2013 during a shootout with Seattle police while suffering a manic episode due to untreated bipolar disorder.

Joel’s parents, Doug and Nancy Reuter, played a major role in getting the bill introduced last year. They testified before lawmakers earlier this year, detailing how they repeatedly tried to get the state to involuntarily commit their suicidal son into treatment, but were unable to.

The Reuters said Joel's Law would have saved their son's life.

"Mental illness is an evil, evil illness,” said Doug Reuter. “All Joel needed was to take two pills a day and he would be back at work today.”

“This is an unbelievable day,” Reuter continued. “To make this great of a leap in the area of mental health treatment is really amazing.”

Washington State has taken monumental steps toward improving the state’s mental health system with these reforms. Now, more critical mental health services will be accessible to those in psychiatric crisis.

Check out a Seattle Times article about these significant changes here.

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