NPR's 1A "The Crime That Changed Mental Health Treatment"

Almost 20 years ago, a mentally ill man named Andrew Goldstein pushed Kendra Webdale into an oncoming train in New York City. She was killed instantly and Goldstein, who’d suffered from schizophrenia since childhood, was sent to prison.

The crime caught national attention, reinvigorating a debate about the care of people with severe mental illnesses.

That’s when Kendra’s Law—named after Webdale—was developed. It created “a statutory framework for court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment, A.O.T., to ensure that individuals with mental illness, and a history of hospitalizations or violence, participate in community-based services appropriate to their needs.” A.O.T. has since been adopted in some form in 46 states.

Goldstein got out of prison this month and as a condition of his release, he’ll enter a mental health system that’s been shaped by the crime he committed.

But are these treatment reforms actually working?

Click here to hear the interview on NPR's 1A