The use of coercion in mental healthcare has long been subject to controversy, and the call for viable alternatives is growing both within the profession and among people with lived experience of coercion in mental healthcare.

Advocates for change aim to maximise therapeutic outcomes and promote the rights and recovery of people with mental health conditions and associated psychosocial disabilities. Research and guidance is now available to support the implementation of alternatives to coercion in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries. Service managers, clinicians, and people with lived experience and their families all can play a central role in leading change. With appropriate resources the services can, for example, pursue WHO Quality-Rights assessment and transformation processes and promote initiatives explicitly aimed at implementing alternatives to coercion.

An effective and long-lasting change can only take place in a recovery oriented system of care, in which respect for human rights and service user involvement are not only required, but realised through sound pathways to noncoercive care. This includes attention to all the important steps along the way – prevention, early intervention, and continuity beyond clinical settings to provide integrated and personalised care. Meaningful involvement by persons with lived experience of mental health problems and psychosocial disabilities and their families bring crucial insight and momentum irrespective of where the services are in their development.

The WPA is committed to supporting mental health professionals and their organisations to implement alternatives to coercion. To this end, the WPA has been working with the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology and other partners to produce the following resources: