The Co‑Occurring Disorder Stabilization and Treatment Act: CODSTA

Co‑Occurring Disorder Stabilization and Treatment Act (CODSTA)The Co‑Occurring Disorder Stabilization and Treatment Act (CODSTA) is a legislative framework developed by Mr. Patrick Potter to address the complex intersection of untreated mental illness and substance use disorder through a capacity-based, clinically informed model of intervention.Drawing on the most effective elements of existing state laws—including California’s CARE Court, New York’s Kendra’s Law, Washington’s Ricky’s Law, Florida’s Marchman Act, Kentucky’s Casey’s Law, and Colorado’s ASATA—CODSTA establishes a unified, scalable statute designed for jurisdictions seeking to reduce criminalization, prevent avoidable harm, and create legally sound pathways to stabilization.At its core, CODSTA recognizes that individuals experiencing psychiatric decompensation and co-occurring substance use often lack the neurological capacity for informed decision-making. It replaces the punitive, compliance-focused logic of traditional legal responses with a clinical architecture rooted in neurobiological realities, procedural safeguards, and therapeutic jurisprudence.CODSTA enables family members, clinicians, or the courts to initiate structured interventions that:Prioritize stabilization over punishmentOperate within low-stimulus, trauma-informed environmentsMaintain due process while navigating urgent clinical needsEmphasize restoration of insight and capacity as preconditions for meaningful autonomyNot a system of coercion, but a pathway to recovery, CODSTA is a legislative answer to one of the most pressing failures in modern justice: the ongoing attempt to solve psychiatric and addiction crises with tools designed for choice, not cognitive collapse. Read more