title: Involuntary administration of medication in the community: the judicial opportunity.
abstract: In a state in which patient refusal of antipsychotic medication in all nonemergency situations must be respected, lawyers and psychiatrists in western Massachusetts have employed probate court decisions as involuntary outpatient treatment orders. The legal, administrative, and clinical issues in sustaining court-ordered outpatient treatment are discussed by focusing on case examples demonstrating some successes, some challenges, and some failures. Judicially sanctioned involuntary outpatient treatment presents an alternative model to statutorily based outpatient commitment.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Department of Mental Health Region I Legal Counsel.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Geller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033222:Judicial Role; D008297:Male; D037141:Mandatory Programs; D008404:Massachusetts; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents