Update on Revised Mental Health Law
- Request for Review – this allows a guardian or nearest relative who is of the opinion that a person is suffering from a mental impairment to report the matter to a medical officer.
- Emergency Detention Order – this allows a medical officer who is of the opinion that a person is suffering from a mental impairment or serious mental illness, to have this person detained for up to 72 hours.
- Observation Order – at any time during an emergency detention order, this order, which lasts up to 14 days, may be invoked to determine whether a patient needs to undergo treatment.
- Treatment Order – this order can last up to six months and is invoked if a patient requires further detention under an Observation Order.
- Assisted Outpatient Treatment Order – this has been introduced for patients who, after a period of hospitalisation, are released but are unlikely to participate in treatment voluntarily or do not comply with recommended treatment.
- Other orders such as “temporary holding power” and “emergency medical treatment order” are for persons who appear to be suffering from a mental illness and are likely to leave the hospital when unfit to do so, or for persons undergoing treatment for a mental illness and requiring urgent treatment for a medical condition but are unable or unwilling to give consent.
- Establishment of a Mental Health Commission – this body will have several roles/functions, including:
Published October 4, 2012
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