Kendra's Law

Kendra's Law is a New York State law concerning involuntary outpatient mental health treatment.

Background
Two similar subway assaults occurred in the New York City subway in 1999. In each, a man diagnosed with schizophrenia pushed a person into the path of an oncoming train. An assault by Julio Perez, age 43, caused the amputation of Edgar Rivera's legs. The assault by Andrew Goldstein, age 29, killed Kendra Webdale. Both men had been dismissed by psychiatric facilities with little or no medication. One of the men was homeless and the other had repeatedly sought a supervised living arrangement.

Kendra's law, introduced by Governor George E. Pataki, was created as a response to these incidents. In 2005, the law was extended for 5 years. 

Support
E. Fuller Torrey, a psychiatrist who focuses his study on schizophrenia, supports the law.

Opposition
Kendra's law is opposed for different reasons by many groups, most notably the Anti-Psychiatry movement and the NY Civil Liberties Union.

Opponents say that the law has harmed the mental health system, because it can scare patients away from seeking treatment. 

It is also said that the implementation of the law is racially biased. (PDF)