Letter to the Editor
The Ottawa Citizen
June 13, 2005
The mentally ill must retain their rights
RE: Hospital Parole System showing early promise, May 28.
The use of the word "parole" in the context of an article dealing with people recovering from mental illness is unfortunate. It adds to the societal stigma of mental illness.
Apparently, the word was used to make a point about the continued control of certain persons discharged (but not quite) from a hospital.
The Community Treatment Order is hardly a "voluntary written agreement" by the person. If a person wants to leave a hospital where he or she is kept against his or her will in order to return to their life in the community, then the document must be signed as a condition for discharge and support services.
The position of our Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office is that a person should not have to surrender their legal and civil rights by being subject to community treatment orders simply so they can access services or get the help they need. In a fair and just society they should have unqualified access to those services, supports and treatments if they want or need them. They should not be "motivated" to trade liberty for help. There should be no short cuts for people requiring long-term support in their recovery.
The use of community treatment orders is viewed as punitive by many of our mental health clients in psychiatric hospitals. The system has a different view, with their statistics and such, but ultimately any conduct forced on a human being without freely given consent will not last. This is true for all human beings.
Let's talk openly about the use of Community Treatment Orders as a society and provide a balanced perspective and one that empowers people in an environment of respect, autonomy and dignity.
Gwen Davidson
Hamilton
Julian Kusek
Penetanguishene
Patient Advocates
Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office
