On November 18, 2025, Massachusetts advocates gathered for hours at the State House as they have, year after year, to beat back yet another legislative proposal for involuntary outpatient commitment , or IOC. Involuntary outpatient commitment laws create a layer of specialized courts that use the so-called “ Black Robe Effect ,” which uses a judge’s authority to compel people with diagnoses of “severe mental illness” to accept mental health and/or substance use intervention against their will — in the form of psychotropic medication, drug testing, and invasive and time-consuming requirements.

While the specifics vary state by state, there are consequences for noncompliance. If the person does not follow their court-ordered treatment plan, they could be snatched by the cops, transp

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