Ethical Issues in Mandatory Community Treatment
強制社區治療之倫理問題
Journal
Taiwanese Journal of Psychiatry = 臺灣精神醫學
Journal Volume
22
Journal Issue
2
Pages
84-95
Date Issued
2008
Author(s)
WEI-TSUEN SOONG
Abstract
Objective: Taiwan's newly revised Mental Health Act was released on July 4, 2007 and will come into effect on July 4, 2008. Mandatory community treatment (MCT) is introduced in order to substantiate individual autonomy and personal protection in community and to enhance preventive mental health. To make MCT work ethically, it is necessary for Taiwan's mental health practitioners to understand ethical issues and empirical data about MCT. The authors intend to review current arguments on the issues and address their implications for Taiwan. The first section of the paper explores the concept of MCT and classifies the types of MCT as they are related to MCT's justifications. The second section sketches frameworks for ethics debates on MCT. The third section is a brief review of the effectiveness of MCT in enhancing care of persons with mental illness in community. The fourth section delineates the arguments for and against MCT and introduces relevant empirical findings. The final section concludes that through learning by doing and continuous regulation impact assessment, we have to do our best to make MCT work and reduce its potential harms.
Publisher
臺灣精神醫學會
Type
journal article