Sections of the Mental Health Act Explained

The Ontario Mental Health Act has adopted a broad definition of mental health. The term broad has been defined as “any disease or disability in mind” (Mental Health Act, 1990 as cited in Gray et al., 2016). Apart from Ontario, only Quebec has adopted such a definition to mental health. Other jurisdictions have been more specific in defining mental health (Gray et al., 2016). The authors pointed out that the mental health act in

Mental Capacity Act (2005), was a legislation set up to pinpoint statutory rights of people who may lack capacity for either, because of brain acquired injury, dementia or temporarily impaired. This Act places individual’s at the heart of decision making and making ‘Unwise decision is not an indicator of lack of capacity’. Criticism of the legislation at the Houses of Lords stated that the Acts lacks ownership (Lords Selects Committee, 2014). It stressed many professional bodies are involved in its implementation and no leadership, Mental Capacity Act (2005) was set up to empower, protect and support people who lacks mental capacity. Family, carer, and professionals need to understand more fully, more clearly their legal rights and responsibilities.

The Mental Health Services Act is a monumental proposition that has helped many people for more than a decade. In California alone, close to 1.2 million adults and around 422,000 children live with a serious mental illness (State 2010). Without the proper treatment, suicide is the leading cause of death for a person battling an untreated mental illness (State 2010). With over thirteen billion dollars raised so far, MHSA has been the root of funding for mental health in California (Williams 2015). MHSA is still a work in progress. The act is nowhere near perfect, as a recent audit has shown, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

Within contemporary society, the legal process of placing an individual into a detention or psychatric treatment facility is called "civil commitment." Typically, this is reserved for the mentally ill, or those people who have satisfied the Court's rule that they are a danger to others, or to themselves. Society realizes that, at times, an individual may pose a danger to themselves or to society and be unable to make rational decisions. In fact, in most jurisdictions in the modern world, involuntary commitment procedures are specifically applied to individuals who have manifested some form of serious mental illness that acts to impair their reasoning to such extent that they are unable to make cogent and logical decisions. Therefore, at these times the state (the Court system) must intercede to find ways to make the appropriate decisions under a legal template. Involuntary commitment may have, in the past, been used in certain situations, inappropriately, but the statutory criteria that indicates one is a danger to self or others usually acts as a legal axiom (Korba, 2008).

“Everyone has an important role to play in achieving healthcare rights and contributing to safe, high quality care. Genuine partnerships between those families and carers of people receiving care and those providing it lead to the best possible outcomes.” (Western NSW Local Health District 2012).

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005) introduced a statutory framework for advance decision making in England and Wales building upon the common law recognition of advance decisions. Academics considered that a bias may operate against upholding advance decisions refusing life-sustaining treatment 1. It’s commonly felt that judges usually give decisions favouring preservation of life and making advance decisions invalid on various grounds. Recent case-law indicates that a high level of specificity is required for advance refusals of life-sustaining treatment and, in some capacity must be demonstrated at the time of making the decision. This essay will argue the legal back ground of the advance decisions and relevant case law. There are suggestions that advance care planning (ACP) instead of advance decisions (ADRT) may be more helpful when it comes to the practice of law on ground 2.

This writer develops a lobbying plan in an effort to request an appointment with a local or state representative. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss in greater detail the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) and the problems that have been identified by DOL and CMS. Some of the problems are a lack of consistency in services in accordance with different states, stringent rules for services, and most of all the underutilization of services. These facts have been presented by DOL to Congress. Further, this writer has a suggestion, which this writer would like for the local or state representative to consider looking into. The suggestion is for quality assurance measures to be put into place, where the rules for eligibility of services are less

In order for an individual to be recognised as having a learning disability, during their assessment three core criteria must be identified. The individual must present with; a significantly lower than average intellect, a reduced ability to function in, and adjust to, their environment, or the inability to interrelate with others. Whilst diagnosis can take place at any age, these difficulties must arise during childhood.

Disabilities; these may include a physical or learning disability. Children with a learning disability may not be capable of holding their attention for an extended period or pay close attention in class. A learning disability is not a problem with intelligence, disorders are caused by a difference in how information is received, processed and communicated in the brain.

Learning disabilities are defined as the inability to process information and the inability to communicate effectively. This can cause problems during the child’s years in school. It is often characterized by as having a below average intellectual functioning level as well as below average adaptational skills.

In the course of proper identification, evaluation, and treatment, children and adolescents suffering with mental illness can conduct positive, normal lives. Nevertheless, the devastating majority of children with mental illnesses are unsuccessfully identified and the lack of treatment or support services have led to a subordinate worth of life and violence. The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2013 (S. 689) is an inclusive bill proposed to address the extensive issue of mental health. By strongly considering the United States’ struggle against mental illness and school violence, as well as utilizing theoretical constructs to examine the Senate’s bill, a social worker can develop a more holistic perspective that can productively integrate practical insights reached from a variety of different points of view.

The Mental Health Act is legislation providing the framework, authority and criteria for people experiencing mental health disorders to be admitted involuntary to a Schedule 1 facility for observation, care and treatment.

The conclusion had is there is no one solution for all of these individual cases however the author does state “The goal is to reach a balance between the rights of the patient to treatment and the responsibility to ensure public safety. The balance between patients’ rights, the right to treatment, and public safety is taken into account with the “treatment years” approach.” (Melamed). This balance between punishment and treatment will largely depend on the severity of the crime committed, and differ from case to case. The term “treatment years” refers to the duration of time spent with medical personnel helping subdue the condition expressed by the patient before they are deemed ready to be a part of society once more. The implication of juries that are more informed on the topics of mental health and are able to view that in the context of sentencing could also benefit a suitable and more understanding sentencing of jail and treatment time. The context of murder with punishment and treatment is more difficult to find a balance with than other less severe crimes. The perpetrator has shown the ability to commit the worst crime imaginable and has demonstrated their danger to society and capability to damage lives. With this taken into account punishment for the perpetrator needs to be

According to the textbook, “Guilty but Mentally Ill (GBMI)” verdict does not guarantee the effective treatment of the offenders while they are in prison.

In 1959, the Mental Health Act was passed to stop the difference in mental hospital and other hospitals. Before this act mental illnesses were looked at differently. People with mental disabilities were put in asylums. Now the world sees that differently because we include them in everyday life. In Flowers for Algernon, Charlie Gordon experiences having a mental illness, and learns how to live a normal life after a life changing surgery. Charlie’s surgery changes his life for the rest of his life.