Ethical stakes about assertive community treatment program and substance abuse
Relationships between healthcare providers and their clients are often fraught with profound misunderstandings as well as tensions between the values of freedom and security. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable in relationships with people suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues. The purpose of this article is to provide avenues for reflection on the ethical stakes that arise in the context of an assertive community treatment program focused on coercion and substance abuse. The basic principles of assertive community treatment are based on the ethical concepts of equality, respect, and a shared search for the truth. Each individual is believed to hold wisdom regarding his or her own life and the skills needed to manage his or her own experiences. The idea is to create a respectful space of reflection that allows for a dialogue between various perspectives, with a view to reconciling diverse preferences. All interventions must be discussed with clients, given that they are at the center of their own decision-making. In light of the complexity of a clientele exhibiting co-occurring severe mental illnesses, the flexible context of assertive community treatment offers a way to respect clients’ pace in terms of both recovery and the process of changing lifestyle habits.