Are Community Treatment Orders Effective - An End to the Controversy
Poster B109, Friday, October 21, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
David Kantor1; 1Supportive Housing in Peel
Community treatment orders [CTOs] exist in a number of global jurisdictions and have been employed over the last 15-20 years. Numerous publications have reported conflicting opinions as to their effectiveness and ethics. Our article provides the findings resultant from a chart review of 50 patients of 3 assertiveness community treatment [ACT] teams, all patients being subject to a CTO. The findings indicate unequivocally that CTOs are a highly useful tool in the effort tp prevent relapse in the patient population with chronic psychotic illness. However, a CTO in and of itself does not allow for this effect, and must be accompanied by its enforcement and subsequent effective treatment. This article decribes a number of scenarios that explain why assessments of CTO effectiveness may arrive at the erroneous conclusion that CTOs are not effective. We also question the appropriateness and effectiveness of labelling CTOs as "coercive" treatment.
Topic Area: Psychosocial Interventions