The new mental health care system for Louisiana is official after Gov. Bobby Jindal signed five bills into law.

In the next several months doctors and police are expecting to see a new way of caring for the mentally ill in the area.

WWL-TV

Gov. Jindal signs new laws for mental health at New Orleans Adolescent Hospital.

The first law will create crisis receiving centers, open 24-hours throughout the community to take in people who are experiencing behavioral heath crises.

The second law will expand services of the human services districts, community places where people can get behavioral and developmental disability services – each tailored to its specific community.

The third and the fourth laws deal with telemedicine, allowing doctors in one area to treat people privately over live camera hookups and ensuring that they will have malpractice liability coverage.

Finally, a bill called Nicola’s Law, named after New Orleans Police Department Officer Nicola Cotton who was killed with her own gun by a man who had an untreated mental illness.

This law helps families and doctors get treatment for people who won’t seek treatment on their own.

For example, in New York -- and this has been documented to be the case in other states that have tried this -- incarceration fell from 23 percent to 3 percent, psychiatric hospitalizations fell from 97 percent to 22 percent and homelessness fell from 19 percent to 5 percent.

Doctors, politicians and police officers say that the state listened and did exactly what the people on the frontlines have asked for and needed.

“It will actually end up being a more humane system and free police to do their jobs, and let doctors do their jobs.  I think this is a good day, a great day for mental health in the area,” said Dr. Jeffrey Rouse, New Orleans Chief Deputy Coroner.

“I’m actually feeling very emotional about all of it.  We had huge fight on our hands. They listened, and to actually see something work like this is absolutely unbelievable and you know it should give us all a lot of hope,” said Cecile Tebo, NOPD Crisis Unit Administrator.

Lawmakers say that these new laws came from everyday citizens going to council meetings and explaining the solution.