From the psychosocial paradigm to religious morality: ethical issues in mental health

When therapeutic communities (TCs) began to emerge in Brazil in the 1970s, drug policy was the concern of the justice sector and aligned with prohibitionism. In the wake of political liberalization in the late 20the century and mental health reform, policies targeting drug users have now become the concern of the health sector. As a result, two antinomic paradigms have emerged within public health management: the prohibitionist paradigm and the psychosocial paradigm. The discussion of public funding of TCs is currently gaining prominence in Brazil. This raises new ethical issues concerning the limits between the public and private spheres within health governance. By exploring the role of these communities, it was possible to gain insights into their history in Brazil, their connections with religion, and the findings of TC inspection reports. The research methodology consisted of a systematic review of different data sources, including articles, books, websites, newspaper articles, TC inspection reports, and the internet. The findings show that there is a resurgence of the prohibitionist paradigm associated with religious morality, which is corroborated by researchers currently discussing policies targeting drug users.