The Effectiveness of Outpatient Civil Commitment

The effects of outpatient civil com-mitment on community tenure and functioning were studied in a group of 20 patients with a history of recur-rent hospitalizations, noncompliance with outpatient treatment, and good response to treatment. During the first 12 months of outpatient corn-mitrnent, patients experienced sig-nificant reductions in visits to the psychiatric emergency service, hos-pital admissions, and lengths of stay compared with the 12 months before commitment. They significantly in-creased the number of appointments kept with their psychiatrist. It ap-pears that when used judiciously, outpatient civil commitment is a helpful tool in maintaining hospital recidivists in the community. (Psy-chiatric Services 47:1251-1253, 1996) U se of oritpatient civil coti)niit-ment has been advocated as a nicans to redrice the rehospitahization rate for a group of seveicly mentally ill reciclivists. However, its Potential pitfalls have also h)een well described, Dr.?wIunetz is chief clinical oJJiceu: 4r