Impact of Involuntary Outpatient Commitment on the Revolving-Door Syndrome in North Carolina

This article examines the efficacy of involuntary outpatient commitment on so-called revolving-door patients in North Carolina. To study the impact of North Carolina's revised outpatient commitment law on institutionalization rates, the authors measured state hospital admissions and days of hospitalization within a three-year period for all patients committed to outpatient treatment during that period. Statistically significant decreases occurred in both measures. The largest reduction occurred in admission rates, which dropped from 3.69 admissions per 1,000 days, to 0.66. The authors conclude that even under the most conservative estimates for measuring institutionalization, the impact of involuntary outpatient commitment on the revolving-door syndrome is promising.