Chapter 7: Serious Mental Illness and the Law
Additional Recommended Readings
Snow, N. and W.J. Austin (2009). Community treatment orders: the ethical balancing act in community mental health. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 16, 177–186. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2008.01363.x/abstract.
This article defines and describes Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) and considers the ethical and practical implications of the use of CTOs, primarily from a Canadian perspective. Human rights, the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice, and relationship ethics are applied in considering the ethical implications of CTOs.
Rueve, M.E. and S.W. Randon (2008). Violence and Mental Illness. Psychiatry, 5(5), 34–47. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2686644/.
This article reviews the literature available to address the question “Are violence and mental illness synonymous, connected, or just coincidental phenomena?” and to investigate the etiology of violence, comorbidities, risk factor management and treatment of violent and aggressive behaviours.
Relevant Legislation
Federal: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en
- Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: Part 1 of the Constitution Act, 1982, being Schedule B to the Canada Act 1982 (UK), 1982, c. 11 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-15.html
- Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46 http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/
Alberta: www.qp.alberta.ca/laws_online.cfm
- Adult Guardianship and Trusteeship Act, S.A. 2008, c. A-4.2. http://www.qp.alberta.ca/1266.cfm?page=A04P2.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=9780779773664
- Mental Health Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. M-13 http://www.qp.alberta.ca/1266.cfm?page=m13.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=9780779779390
British Columbia: www.bclaws.ca
- Mental Health Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 288 http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96288_01
Manitoba: web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/index.php
- Mental Health Act, C.C.S.M., c. M110 http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/m110e.php
- Vulnerable Persons Living with a Mental Disability Act, S.M. 1993, c. 29 http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/v090e.php
New Brunswick: www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/attorney_general/acts_regulations.html
- Mental Health Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. M-10 http://laws.gnb.ca/en/showfulldoc/cs/M-10//20150805
Newfoundland and Labrador: www.assembly.nl.ca/Legislation
- Mental Health Care and Treatment Act, S.N.L. 2006, c. M-9.1 http://www.assembly.nl.ca/Legislation/sr/statutes/m09-1.htm
Nova Scotia: nslegislature.ca/legc/
- Hospitals Act, S.N.S. 1989, c. 208
- Incompetent Persons Act, R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 218
- Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act, S.N.S.2005, c. 42
- Mental Health Court Act, S.N.S., 2007
Ontario: www.e-laws.gov.on.ca
- Health Care Consent Act, R.S.O. 1996, c. 2 http://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/96h02
- Mental Health Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M-7 http://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90m07
- Substitute Decisions Act, S.O. 1992, c. 30 http://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/92s30
Prince Edward Island: www.gov.pe.ca/law/statutesa
- Mental Health Act, S.P.E.I. 1994, c. 39 http://www.gov.pe.ca/law/statutes/pdf/m-06_1.pdf
Quebec: www3.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/loisreglements.en.html
- An Act Respecting the Protection of persons whose mental state presents a danger to themselves or others, S.Q. 2002, c. P-38.001 http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=%2F%2FP_38_001%2FP38_001_A.htm
- Civil Code of Québec, S.Q. 1991, c. 64 http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=%2F%2FCCQ_1991%2FCCQ1991_A.htm
Saskatchewan: www.qp.gov.sk.ca
- Mental Health Services Act, S.S. 1984–85–86, c. M-13.1 http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/documents/English/Statutes/Statutes/M13-1.pdf
Northwest Territories: www.justice.gov.nt.ca/legislation/search
- Mental Health Act, R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c. M-10 https://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/en/files/legislation/mental-health/mental-health.a.pdf
Nunavut: www.justice.gov.nu.ca
- Mental Health Act (Nunavut), R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c. M-10 http://www.justice.gov.nu.ca/apps/authoring/dspPage.aspx?page=CURRENT+CONSOLIDATIONS+OF+ACTS+AND+REGULATIONS&letter=M
Yukon Territory: www.gov.yk.ca/legislation/
- Mental Health Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 150 http://www.gov.yk.ca/legislation/acts/mehe_c.pdf
Discussion Questions
- How do politics and law intersect with respect to mental health legislation?
- What are the general grounds by which individuals can be put into hospital against their will? How do these grounds balance the rights of the patient, the family, and society?
- How do issues of consent to treatment intersect with social work values and ethics?
- What are the positive and negative aspects of community treatment orders?
- What alternatives could a social worker seek for a client with a mental disorder who commits a crime?