The Mental Health Act, 2001 is the legislation that is most relevant to social workers in the mental health area. This Act provides for changes to the existing rules on admission to psychiatric hospitals in Ireland, in particular in the procedures for the involuntary detention of people for psychiatric care and treatment. It provides for the introduction of an independent review procedure in the case of all involuntary detentions. It provides for the establishment of a Mental Health Commission of Ireland, Mental Health Commission review tribunals and an Inspector of Mental Health Services. It also provides for the monitoring and regulation of the standards of care and treatment in approved mental health centres and changes in the legal rights of mental health patients.
The Act is fully implemented from 1st November 2006. In 2007, the Department of Health and Children published a review of the Mental Health Act 2001 which suggests very few changes to the Act.
The Mental Health Commission has also created a reference guide to provide a clear and practical understanding of the major objectives and developments of the Mental Health Act, 2001.
A fundamental Department of Health and Children policy objective of the care of the mentally ill has been, inter alia, to provide a comprehensive and community centred mental health service as set out in the 1984 document Planning for the Future, as reviewed in 1992 in the Green Paper on Mental Health. The Department of Health and Children's mental health policy objectives for the future was launched in January 2006. This is a report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy and is entitled A Vision for Change.
In addition, social workers employed in this area, particularly those in child and adolescent mental health, are guided by childcare and juvenile justice legislation.
Department of Health and Children 2007 Review of Mental Health Act 2001, is available at: www.dohc.ie/publications/mental_health_act_review07.html.
Mental Health Commission, St. Martin's House, Waterloo Road, Dublin 4.
Tel (01) 636 2400. Fax: (01) 636 2440. Web: www.mhcirl.ie
Expert Group on Mental Health Policy 2006 Vision for Change, is available at: http://www.dohc.ie/publications/pdf/vision_for_change.pdf?direct=1
Department of Health. 1984. The Psychiatric Services - Planning for the Future. Dublin: Department of Health.
Department of Health and Children. 1998. Guidelines on Good Practice and Quality Assurance in Mental Health Services. Dublin: Department of Health and Children.
Mental Health Commission Reference Guide Mental Health Act 2001
http://www.mhcirl.ie/Mental_Health_Act_2001/Reference_Guide_to_the_Mental_Health_Act_2001/
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