A retrospective examination of outpatient commitment in New York.

Outpatient commitment (OC) is a growing trend in mental health treatment. The impetus for this movement has been partly due to the public perception that some mentally ill outpatients are prone to violence as result of poor treatment compliance. Numerous studies have shown that poor treatment compliance is associated with increased hospitalization, substance abuse, homelessness, and contact with the criminal justice system. This study examined treatment effectiveness, demographic variables, hospital utilization, and violence among 100 OC participants in New York. Results indicate that OC can be an effective means of increasing treatment compliance and reducing hospitalization and encounters with the criminal justice system.