The Coalition to Stop Outpatient Commitment consists of organizations and individuals in New York State who stand together in opposition to the concept of outpatient commitment for people with psychiatric diagnoses and any implementation of such a program in New York State. Outpatient commitment means that people who have committed no crime and who do not meet the standards for inpatient commitment can be told where and with whom they may live, how they must spend their days, and what drugs they must take. Research shows that people subjected to forced treatment are at increased risk for drug dependence, disabling side-effects of medication, and suicide. Outpatient commitment is not effective. Outpatient commitment simply doesn t work.
Outpatient commitment interferes with people s right to choice.
People recover when they have choice among alternative treatments and services, when they are empowered to make their own decisions and take responsibility for their lives, and when they are offered hope. These conditions are impossible under outpatient commitment. Rather than put scarce resources into a coercive program that hasn t been proven effective, the Coalition favors increasing voluntary access to a range of services that promote recovery and rehabilitation. People with psychiatric diagnoses must be free to choose among respectfully provided services that genuinely meet their needs. The Coalition invites groups and organizations which support this statement to join with us in promoting the rights of people with psychiatric diagnoses to live their lives free of the threat of outpatient commitment.