[Compulsory outpatient treatment and mental health care: aspects of the legal discussion from the European and Israeli perspective].
OBJECTIVE
Recent German legal initiatives for ordering compulsory outpatient treatment in mental health care are discussed and contrasted with regulations from other European countries and Israel.


METHODS
The legal basis for such coercive measures is comparatively assessed by use of these documents.


RESULTS
European countries seem somewhat hesitant to incorporate compulsory outpatient treatment into their civil legislation frameworks. Legal initiatives on this issue in Germany were rejected both on the level of the Federal civil law, and on the State-level of public administrative law.


CONCLUSIONS
From the legal point of view reasons against compulsory outpatient treatment in mental health care are embedded in the constitutional law and in international human rights.
Hegendörfer
Gerhard
G
Bundesministerium für Gesundheit Berlin, Referat für Multilaterale Zusammenarbeit auf dem Gebiet des Gesundhwitswesens, Friedrichstrasse 108, 10117 Berlin. gerhard.hegendoerfer@bmg.bund.de
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care