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Compulsory community treatment: ethical considerations
Author(s) -
Heffern Wa,
Wendy Austin
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1365-2850
pISSN - 1351-0126
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2850.1999.00184.x
Subject(s) - beneficence , autonomy , bioethics , personal autonomy , mental health , psychology , mentally ill , psychotherapist , nursing , medicine , mental illness , political science , law
Compulsory community treatment (CCT) of people with serious mental health problems is analysed using the bioethical principles of autonomy and beneficence. Feminist ethical theory is then used to clarify these principles as they relate to community commitment of the severely and persistently mentally ill. Finally, a model of practice is proposed as an alternative to CCT in which both autonomy and beneficence are better served.