In this episode Committable Collective members Jesse Mangan and Leah Harris discuss Leah’s recent article, ‘Assisted Outpatient Treatment’ and the Cult of True Belief. The article examines narratives around Involuntary Outpatient Commitments and how much of the discourse around these policies seems to be driven by an ideology that prioritizes belief over evidence.

Links to articles discussed in this episode:

‘Assisted Outpatient Treatment’ and the Cult of True Belief: https://substack.com/home/post/p-200647780

Response to Fuller Torrey: https://www.madinamerica.com/2012/10/response-to-fuller-torrey/

Links to interview and presentation excerpts used in this episode:

AOT Evaluation: What Providers, Communities, and Data Evaluation Professionals Should Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pyhydRQC6w

What People Get Wrong About Anosognosia-Dr. Xavier Amador: https://youtu.be/oZfh-oPJ99g?si=cHaZB147sBKu_6Tx

In this episode Committable producers Jesse Mangan and Jim McQuaid follow up on their review of the Swartz et al. 1999 study and discuss some of the ways in which the findings of that study are misrepresented. They focus on claims made by AOT advocate Eric Smith and how narratives and talking points can become intermingled with perceptions of research.

Audio clips used in this episode come from the following interviews:

https://sensiblenonsense.squarespace.com/committable/2021/10/7/bonus-eric-smith-amp-tom-burns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiHqzqRj14A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atzkOcYC14g

In this episode I speak with attorney Elizabeth Rich about her experiences navigating mental health laws in Wisconsin. Elizabeth brings a multifaceted perspective to her work weaving together experience as an attorney, an advocate, and as a parent of someone who was directly impacted by these systems.

Andrew’s V.O.I.C.E: www.andrewsvoice.org

In this series I look at Peer Respites throughout the United States and try to better understand how this model of care provides safe, noncarceral opportunities for people experiencing distress. And in this episode I speak with Jason Robison, Chief Program Officer for SHARE! The Self-Help and Recovery Exchange. We talk about the SHARE! Recovery Retreat, as well as a broader discussion about Jason’s approach to peer support and how to cultivate more humanity while navigating complex systems.

SHARE!: https://www.shareselfhelp.org/

Jason Robison: https://www.shareselfhelp.org/copy-of-lara-skutt-coo-chro

Recovery Retreat: https://www.shareselfhelp.org/recovery-retreat

In this episode I reunite with Leah Harris to talk about the concept of Forcewashing, a term that Leah coined in an article about an Involuntary Outpatient Commitment bill currently being considered in Massachusetts.

Leah Harris: https://truthout.org/articles/massachusetts-advocates-resist-dystopian-involuntary-outpatient-commitment-bill/

E. Fuller Torrey Interview: youtube.com/watch?si=DPAuc_viybzgY4ur&v=7A8xgpYV46o&feature=youtu.be

Jeffrey Lieberman Quote: https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/22/jeffrey-lieberman-calls-nick-reiner-facilities-scams/

In this episode I speak with Fern, Director of the Wild Ivy Social Justice Network. We talk about concerns related to an involuntary outpatient commitment bill currently before the Massachusetts legislature, as well as some of the non-carceral alternatives that currently exist in that state.

Wild Ivy Social Justice Network: https://wildfloweralliance.org/wild-ivy/

In this episode I speak with Steve Schwartz, Special Counsel at the Center for Public Representation. We talk about an AOT bill currently working its way through the Massachusetts legislature and break down some of the more concerning aspects of the MA bill specifically, as well as questions and concerns related to the implementation of other outpatient commitment laws throughout the country.

Center for Public Representation: https://www.centerforpublicrep.org

In this series I work with Leah Harris to look at Assisted Outpatient Treatment laws throughout the United States. Assisted Outpatient Treatment, often referred to as AOT, is a form of involuntary outpatient commitment that leverages the use of a court order to coerce people into compliance.

Leah Harris: https://truthout.org/articles/massachusetts-advocates-resist-dystopian-involuntary-outpatient-commitment-bill/