Involuntary Civil Commitment for Substance Use Disorder: Legal Precedents and Ethical Considerations for Social Workers. Issue 6 (18th August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Walton, Matthew T.; Hall, Martin T.
• Is Part Of: Social work in public health. Volume 32:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: 382
• Page End: 393
• Publication Date: 2017-08-18
• Subjects: Involuntary civil commitment -- substance abuse -- addiction -- ethics -- social work; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Medical policy -- Periodicals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1080/19371918.2017.1327388
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1937-1918

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Although each state in the United States legally authorizes involuntary civil commitment on the grounds of severe mental illness, a considerable number do not have comparable laws to mandate drug addiction treatment. This discrepancy is due, in part, to differing ethical positions regarding whether a substance use disorder diagnosis provides sufficient justification to suspend individual liberty rights. This article chronicles some of the legal and ethical thinking on the subject and applies them to a social work-specific context.