What if I don’t want to be on a CTO? If you are able to make your own decisions, then you can choose not to have this kind of treatment. If you are not able to make your own treatment decisions, someone else will be asked to make these decisions for you. This person is your substitute decision maker. If they decide that this is best for you, then it will be issued. You will be encouraged to be involved in your treatment plan. You always have the right to appeal the decision to place you on a CTO if you do not agree with it, even if you have a substitute decision maker.
How will a CTO help me? A CTO is being considered for you because your doctor, family members or other supportive people in your life think that it will help you to manage your illness better. You have been in the hospital several times or for a long period of time because of your illness. With your help, we can make a treatment plan that will help you live in the community.
Funding This service is funded through the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and sponsored by Providence Care, Mental Health Services site.
Contact For more information about Community Treatment Orders, or to speak with a CTO Coordinator, contact: Michael MaGill, RN CTO Coordinator/Team Leader Providence Care Mental Health Services site 752 King Street West Postal Bag 603 Kingston, ON K7L 4X3 613-548-5567, ext. 5894 magillm@pccchealth.org or Providence Care Mental Health Services site 6 Glenn Wood Place Unit #203 Brockville, ON K6N 2T3 613-342-8200
www.providencecare.ca June 2008
Community Treatment Orders Working together to help you live in the community
A CTO will allow you to receive care and treatment in the community rather than in the hospital. CTO’s help to ensure there is safe and effective care for individuals with a serious mental illness.
What do I have to do on a CTO? A Community Treatment Plan is made with your help. Everyone that is named in the Plan will help you with your care. Your own responsibilities will also be set out when the Plan is made. There will be meetings where you and those involved in your care will talk about what kind of support you will need.
What is a Community Treatment Plan? The Community Treatment Plan may include: Regular meetings with your doctor. Help with your medication. Living in a healthy environment. Attending groups and other clinical programs. Regular meetings with your support workers.
Can my family attend the Community Treatment Plan meetings? Yes. The more you and your family are involved in making the Plan, the more it can help you. The whole purpose is to help you to stay well and live in the community. You and your family are key to making this work!
What if I don’t follow the Community Treatment Plan? If you don’t follow the conditions of the Plan, or if the doctor who issued the Order believes that your illness would be better treated in a hospital, arrangements can be made to have you returned to the hospital. If there are other reasons that make it difficult for you to follow the Plan, you or a member of your family should talk to your doctor or support worker right away.
How long does a CTO last? Each CTO lasts six months. When the six months are over, the CTO can be renewed again. When a CTO is renewed for a second time, it must be reviewed by the Ontario Consent and Capacity Board.
How do I appeal? The Rights Advisor can help you to complete the appeal form and a hearing will be arranged with the Consent and Capacity Board. There are usually three people on the board – one lawyer, one psychiatrist and one community person. These people will come to the hospital to meet with you and your doctor and will decide whether or not the CTO should be stopped.
Can I live in the community without a CTO? You or your substitute decision maker can ask the doctor to assess your condition again to see whether you can live in the community without a CTO. If the doctor decides the CTO criteria no longer apply, the CTO can be stopped.