In an op-ed in PubliCola, HaRRT Center codirector, Dr. Susan Collins, highlights the importance of defining terms in policy discussions about involuntary treatment. Unlike mandated treatment and other means of coercion, involuntary treatment strips people of their civil liberties, and decades of worldwide research show it precipitates poor treatment outcomes — including relapse, reincarceration, and overdose death. It should remain a treatment of last resort, reserved for rare, life-threatening cases. What needs expansion is a full range of voluntary, evidence-based options — from harm reduction services to inpatient SUD care — that are affordable and accessible to people who use substances and their families.
https://publicola.com/2025/09/25/the-siren-song-of-forced-drug-treatment/