China mulls new mental health law
June 13th, 2011 - 12:17 pm ICT by IANSBeijing, June 13 (IANS) China is mulling over a law that gives people the freedom to decide if they need a mental health check instead of compulsory tests for mental disorders.
Tests must be carried out only at the discretion of the patient or their guardian, says the draft law being considered. China has over 100 million mentally ill people.
To seek public opinion on the issue, the government has posted the full text of the document on the website of the State Council’s Legislative Affairs Office.
The draft law states that it is the responsibility of the civil affairs authorities to send homeless people suspected of suffering mental disorders to mental health institutions.
It also states that people who have recovered from the illness can be discharged from hospitals at their discretion. If a patient is severely-ill and doctors consider their discharge from hospital inappropriate, then their guardians must be consulted.
The draft law also provides right to education, work, medical insurance, privacy and social assistance to mental health patients, Global Times reported Sunday.
In 2009, more than 100 million people in China suffered from mental illness, of which 16 million were severe, according to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Mental health check-up not to be compulsory in China - Jun 14, 2011
- China mulls law for 100 mn mentally ill - Oct 25, 2011
- Is India finally waking up to mental illness? - Feb 02, 2012
- Government planning new mental health care bill - Aug 19, 2011
- Mental health neglected, multinational partnerships needed: Azad - Feb 17, 2011
- Mental disorders major health issue in China - Apr 30, 2010
- Fiona Bruce's harasser Peter Oakey has been detained, he is mentally ill - Oct 07, 2010
- 20 million need mental health care: Expert - Oct 11, 2011
- Boost for research in mental health, neuro-sciences - Jan 20, 2012
- China mulls amendment to law on work-related illnesses - Jun 27, 2011
- Dementia, a 'silent tsunami' - Apr 11, 2012
- One in ten Chinese minors suffers from mental disorder - Jun 10, 2010
- Zeta-Jones 'hopes to remove stigma from depression' - Apr 21, 2011
- Mentally ill prone to poor teeth - Sep 02, 2011
- Canada unveils national mental health strategy - May 09, 2012
Tags: 100 million, civil affairs, discretion, disease control and prevention, draft law, education work, global times, guardians, health check, homeless people, law states, legislative affairs office, medical insurance, mental disorders, mental health institutions, mental health law, mental health patients, mental illness, public opinion, social assistance