Chief Psychiatrist's Guidelines Index <

Community treatment order guidelines (November 2005)

Download the complete Community treatment order guidelines (PDF File 249KB)

The past decade has seen a shift from institutional treatment and care of involuntary patients to a primary focus on community-based treatment. The amendments to the Mental Health Act 1986 (Vic) which commenced on 6 December 2004 reflect this shift. The underlying structure of the Act, which was based on a model of detention, has been replaced by a focus on whether a person should be an involuntary patient for the purpose of providing treatment. The new 'involuntary treatment order' provides clear pathways by which a person requiring involuntary treatment is either made subject to a community treatment order and allowed to receive treatment in the community or is taken to an approved mental health service and detained for treatment.

These changes and other new legislative provisions, such as the requirement to prepare treatment plans, affect clinical practice in relation to persons on community treatment orders. The Department of Human Services has updated the Community treatment order guidelines to incorporate these changes. I hope that this updated guide assists clinicians to understand the legislative requirements and establish best clinical practice standards.

Associate Professor Amgad Tanaghow
Chief Psychiatrist
14 November 2005