3Objects

3 Objects The objects of this Act are as follows: (a) to provide for the care, treatment and protection of people with mental illness while at the same time protecting their civil rights; (b) to establish provisions for the care, treatment and protection of people with mental illness that are consistent with the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care, the Australian Health Ministers' Mental Health Statement of Rights and Responsibilities and the National Mental Health Plan; (c) to establish provisions for the review of the voluntary and involuntary admission of people into approved treatment facilities and the treatment provided to people in approved treatment facilities; (d) to establish provisions for obtaining informed consent and the authorisation of treatment; (e) to establish provisions for emergency detention and treatment;

Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998 2 (f) to provide regulation of specific forms of treatment; (g) to establish provisions for the administration of involuntary treatment in the community; (h) to mainstream and integrate, as far as possible, provision for the administration and review of admission, hospitalisation and treatment of prisoners; (j) to establish the right of people receiving or seeking psychiatric treatment or care to be given oral and written explanations of their legal rights and entitlements under this Act in a form and language that they understand; (m) to establish the right for people who are subject to this Act, their relatives, friends and representatives, and any other people with a genuine interest in particular people who are subject to this Act, to make a complaint; (n) to provide for approved treatment facilities and approved treatment agencies to establish accessible internal complaints procedures; (p) to affirm the right of people who are subject to this Act to complain to independent complaint bodies established by or under other legislation; (q) to provide for a principal community visitor, community visitors and community visitor panels with inquiry, complaints, investigation, visiting, inspection, advocacy and reporting powers and functions; (r) to provide for the registration of mental health orders made outside the Territory; (s) to provide a procedure for approved treatment facilities and approved treatment agencies to be approved; (t) to recognise the continuing appropriate care provided by relatives and friends and other non-professional care givers in the community, and to ensure that therapeutic alliances involving appropriate non-professionals are recognised.

Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998 3