By Noah PowelsonAs lawmakers consider whether to extend a controversial law that allows for mentally ill people to be involuntarily committed, a new report shows the law’s implementation may be doing unseen harm. The report, which was first reported by POLITICO, compared outcomes of patients who were committed to an AOT to those who received similar services in a voluntary program. Research and interviews with patients showed both cohorts, whether committed or there on a voluntary basis, had positive outcomes that led to overall shorter hospital stays and reduced risk of harm. But those committed to an AOT program, according to the report, regularly said they felt fear, stigma, a loss of autonomy, ongoing pressure and felt misled during their program. “Qualitative findings highlight widespread concerns about coercion and lack of agency,” the report read.