FAQ

The new Mental health Care Act came into force September 1, 2018. The new Act is a complete re-write of the 1988 Act. The legislature approved the new Act in October 2015.

Mental health philosophies of care and best practices have changed a lot since the 1988 Act. The new Act modernizes care and support for people experiencing a mental health emergency.The purpose of the new Mental Health Act is to:Provide short-term assessment, care, and treatment.Uphold patient rights.Balance patient rights with the need for care and treatment.The new Act is based on these principles:No unreasonable delays in making or carrying out decisions affecting the treatment of the individual.Treatment decisions should respect the individual’s cultural, linguistic and spiritual or religious ties.The least restrictive measures should be used to ensure the safety of the individual and other people.Family and community are involved in supporting the individual.Individuals are supported in making their own decisions about treatment.The individual’s mental health information will be handled with the utmost respect for privacy.

Six different sets of regulations that are required to guide the administration of the new Mental Health Act were completed. These are: Mental Health Forms Regulations Mental Health General Regulations Assisted Community Treatment Regulations Apprehension, Conveyance and Transfer Regulations Mental Health Act Review Board Regulations Designation of Facilities Regulations Without these regulations, we would not be able to enforce the new Act.

While the bill for the new Mental Health Act was passed in 2015, this is a complex piece of legislation concerned with providing services to some of our most vulnerable residents. As such, it has been extremely important to take the time to get it right. Since 2015 the Department have been working with the Department of Justice and other stakeholders to draft the six Mental Health Act regulations, develop communications for the public and staff (including website content, pamphlets), recruit and appoint Review Board members, develop training materials and provide training sessions to front line health professionals, Review Board members and other relevant stakeholders.

Under the new Mental Health Act, a designated facility is a facility with the resources to properly examine, care for, and treat people with a mental health disorder. The Regulations have granted these facilities to be listed as designated facilities: Stanton Territorial Hospital Inuvik Regional Hospital Hay River Health Centre Fort Smith Health and Social Services Centre Stanton Territorial Hospital is the only facility with an inpatient psychiatric unit and full time psychiatrists on staff.

As per the Mental healthcare Act 2017, patients will have the right to: 1) Know why they are in hospital as an involuntary patient. 2) Apply to the Mental Health Act Review Board if they feel they should not be held under the Mental Health Act, or disagree with decisions about their care. 3) Identify a person to be notified when admitted to hospital.*Contact a lawyer and talk to them in private.* 4) Be informed and ask questions about their care and treatment. 5) Consent to or refuse treatment.**Talk to their Substitute Decision Maker, if they have one.**. 6) Have visitors during visiting hours.*. 7) Make or receive phone calls.*. 8) Write, send, and receive mail.* 9( Not be deprived of any right or privilege enjoyed by others.**These rights may be limited if there is a risk of harm to you or another person.**Unless you have been appointed a substitute decision maker.

A patient’s health information is private. Generally, family members can be involved in a patient’s care and treatment with the patient’s permission.