The Least Restrictive Alternative to Involuntary Hospitalization, Outpatient Commitment: Its Use and Effectiveness

Abstract

For two years, all court-ordered outpatient treatment in one civil commitment court was followed for the maximum time of an initial commitment, three months. Based on involuntary readmissions and involuntary commitments, outpatient commitment for the dangerously mentally ill was found to have a high success rate; only 12.5% of the respondents were involuntarily rehospitalized during the time frame. For the select group of respondents ordered to outpatient treatment by this court, outpatient commitment provided an effective, less restrictive alternative to involuntary hospitalization.