New research finds that Americans across party lines are in support of alternatives to involuntary mental health treatment, contrasting a recent federal initiative for mandated treatment.
The Trump administration has pushed for involuntary hospitalizations of people experiencing homelessness, mental health issues, and substance use problems. An executive order issued over the summer calls for placing homeless people into “long-term institutional settings.” However, a new research study, published in JAMA Network Open, finds that this federal action counters the attitudes of Americans across the political spectrum.
The researchers comprised a coalition of individuals from universities across the United States, led by Morgan Shields of the School of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis. They describe how most individuals, regardless of political affiliation, are supportive of increasing access to voluntary treatment:
“The findings of this cross-sectional study indicate that the public largely supports policies that expand voluntary, community-based services, a position shared by members of all political parties. In comparison, the public is less supportive of involuntary policies, although Republicans report more support than others.”
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