Community treatment orders: the ethical balancing act in community mental health

Community treatment orders (CTOs) are legal mechanisms by which an individual with a mental illness and a history of non-compliance and potential for violence can be mandated (against their will) to undergo psychiatric treatment in an outpatient setting. Although CTOs are increasingly being adopted by governments as a means of protecting both mentally ill persons and society itself, their use continues to stimulate considerable debate. While there is some evidence of their potential benefits in promoting treatment compliance and reducing hospital stays, there is concern that they infringe on the mental health client's human rights and freedoms. Consideration of the ethical and practical implications of the use of CTOs must continue. In this paper, some of the most pressing issues are identified and discussed.