Rethinking the Place of Compulsory Community Mental Health Treatment in Aotearoa New Zealand: Implications of an Assemblage Theory Approach

Date
2024-09-01
Authors
Schneller, A
Adams, PJ
Thom, K
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Abstract

Many countries with developed mental health systems permit compulsory treatment for mental illness in community settings. Research has challenged practices associated with the increased use of compulsory community treatment due to non-compliance with human rights and lack of therapeutic efficacy. In the cultural context of Aotearoa New Zealand, this paper introduces a study of the medico-legal process for making compulsory community treatment orders. Drawing on assemblage theory, our analysis critically unpacks the idea of being heard in the event of a court hearing. We illustrate how relations in-between participants, place, and things, become territorialised in ways that reproduce orders. We suggest reterritorialisation of these relations is vital to becoming heard. Rethinking the role of compulsory community treatment orders has implications for mental health law reform. This reform provides a rare opportunity to support services in avoiding compulsory treatment in practice.

Description
Keywords
Assemblage , Community , Compulsory treatment , Deleuze , Human rights , Mental health , 42 Health Sciences , Mental Health , Mental health , 3 Good Health and Well Being , 1117 Public Health and Health Services , 1604 Human Geography , Public Health , 42 Health sciences , 44 Human society
Source
Health and Place, ISSN: 1353-8292 (Print); 1873-2054 (Online), Elsevier BV, 89, 103317-. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103317
Rights statement
© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).