Joel’s Law in Washington allows a guardian, conservator or loved one to petition a court to force treatment for people who suffer from serious mental illness. Some supporters of the law have called it a lifeline for family members desperately seeking care for a loved one, but others have concerns about stripping away a person's civil liberties. The law has been in place for about a decade.
InvestigateWest, the Kitsap Sun and Gig Harbor Now recently co-published a deep dive into the law. Conor Wilson is a reporter for the Kitsap Sun and the nonprofit newsroom Gig Harbor Now. Moe Clark is a collaborative investigative reporter for InvestigateWest. Their positions are supported by the Murrow News Fellowship, an initiative of Washington State University that offers early-career journalists the opportunity to report on civic affairs in underserved communities. They join us with more on Joel’s Law.