Roismi R.’s Post

The government has published its response to the Joint Committee on the draft Mental Health Bill. The following recommendations were rejected by government: * The creation of a statutory mental health commissioner * A new ‘responsible person’ for each health body to address bias and discrimination * The abolition of CTOs * Extending the tightened detention criteria to Part 3 patients * A new mechanism to extend section 2 detention for some people with learning disability and autism * Amending DoLS so that it cannot be used as an alternative route to the MHA * Amending the duty to implement CETR recommendations * A statutory test for “competency, or ‘child capacity’” for children * A pilot scheme for patients to appeal treatment decisions at the mental health tribunal * A Central Advocacy Service * A statutory right to request “culturally appropriate advocacy” * Replacing section 118 (on statutory principles) The Government, however, agreed the following: * To review the wording of the new detention criteria on “how soon” detention may occur * To consider if a 12-month review of CETRs was too long * To consider if the new “risk register” should be renamed “Dynamic Support Register” * To place a duty on on services to carry out activity in relation to Advance Care Documents * The need for greater clarity about holding powers in A&E departments  

We are pleased the government has listened and ensured that today, in the King's first speech, the proposed Mental Health Bill was highlighted as a crucial step towards modernising the Mental Health Act and ensuring it meets the needs of the 21st century. A significant aspect of this reform is ensuring that dedicated professionals are in place to support the most vulnerable members of our society and we look forward to working collaboratively to ensure that reforms are effectively realised. This emphasis on professional support is particularly relevant in light of rising evictions, which are detrimental to those with mental health needs. This decision emphasises the urgent need for trained professionals who can provide the necessary support to prevent such exclusions and promote inclusion. As well as recruiting and training more clinical and judicial staff, reforms must shift care into the community for all. This will create a robust support system, helping individuals with mental health, and neuropsychiatric disabilities to stay in their homes and communities. Ensuring these professionals are well-equipped and available in localised community settings will be critical to delivering the promised improvements in mental health services. Rajé Ballagan-Evans #kingsspeech #newgovernment #labourparty #mentalhealth #mentalhealthreform Photo credit: BBC News

Amplifying the voices of young people in mental health policy is crucial. Last summer, the Biden administration proposed regulations to strengthen enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, also known as the parity law. The law specifies that patients must have access to mental health and substance use services that are no more difficult to access than medical or surgical services. Mental Health America convened a panel discussion of young people to build awareness and center their voices around the issue. Read more about their findings in this blog from The Commonwealth Fund: #youthadvocacy #youthleadership #teenmentalhealth #youthmentalhealth #mentalhealthcrisis

New laws will give patients sectioned under the Mental Health Act more dignity and say over their care in long-awaited updates to be introduced in Parliament today: https://lnkd.in/dhhqZnku #mentalhealth #mentalillness

Also today there was a new Mental Health Bill Key changes introduced include: Statutory Care and Treatment Plans Each patient will have legally required, individualized care and treatment plans. These will outline what is needed for their discharge, making care more personalized and focused on recovery. Right to Choose a Nominated Person Patients will be given the right to choose who represents their interests, rather than automatically defaulting to their nearest relative. This change allows greater autonomy in who has a say in their care. Improved Access to Advocacy Patients who are detained under the Mental Health Act will have enhanced access to advocacy services to better support their interests and ensure their voices are heard. Ending the Use of Police and Prison Cells The Bill will prohibit the use of police and prison cells for people experiencing a mental health crisis. Patients will instead be placed in suitable healthcare facilities designed to meet their needs. More Involvement for Families and Carers The role of families and carers will be strengthened, requiring clinicians to consult with individuals close to the patient when making decisions about care. This is to ensure the patient’s wishes and safety are better considered. Addressing Disparities and Inappropriate Detention The Bill aims to reduce the disproportionate detention rates of Black people, autistic individuals, and those with learning disabilities, recognizing past injustices in how these groups have been treated. Continued Protection for Safety While modernizing the Act, it will still ensure clinicians have the necessary powers to admit and treat people if they pose a risk to themselves or others, maintaining safety as a priority. The original mental health act was in 1983. 'Outdated' is one way of putting it Much has changed in 41 years Read more below 👇 https://lnkd.in/ewe_qMyj

Programs like the CARE Court are essential for addressing critical gaps in mental health care, especially for individuals with severe illnesses who have fallen through the cracks. Many who need conservatorship face bureaucratic inefficiencies, leading to worsening conditions and tragic outcomes. The CARE Court allows family members and concerned parties to advocate for those unable to advocate for themselves, providing a structured alternative to traditional mental health approaches. Dr. Luke Bergmann’s leadership in this initiative has been pivotal. His focus on collaboration among families, treatment teams, and the judicial system empowers clients and enhances treatment effectiveness. Early outcomes in San Diego, including reduced crisis service usage among participants, suggest the program’s potential for long-term benefits. While criticisms regarding bureaucracy exist, the CARE Court represents a necessary framework to ensure individuals receive the care they require. Without such structures, funding for mental health services may not effectively reach those in need. Ultimately, the CARE Court is a vital step toward more inclusive mental health care, and leaders like Dr. Bergmann are crucial in championing compassionate solutions for those historically neglected in the system. #mentalhealthmatters #CARECourt #SanDiego #SoCal

Big News In case you haven't yet seen - The Mental Health Bill is back and is being introduced today into the House of Lords. The Government claim it will modernise #mentalhealthcare, reduce disparities and improve care and treatment for individuals. BUT we need to see the detail of the Bill and how much it has changed (or not) since we last saw it to know if this will really be the case. AMHP Leaders have long been calling for more radical legal reform than seen in the Bill AND more importantly, for improved practice and partnership working at times of mental health crisis, these being better routes to improved outcomes for people. Now is the time to write to your MPs, lobby for the inclusion of key issues we need to secure actual change. This might include: ⚖ Strengthen #s13 #AMHP Consideration to ensure it is recognised by all parts of the system as the vehicle for partners to come together to support collective preventative action and support to individuals in crisis ⚖ Require all partner agencies to remain involved and supporting individuals in crisis throughout any period of consideration, assessment or admission facilitation ⚖ Include statutory measures to address racial disparities in mental health detention, such as #culturallyappropriateadvocacy and engagement with the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework #PCREF ⚖ Include a sufficiency requirement for medical support to assessments, in the same way there already is one for AMHPs Lets see what updates there have been to the Bill and if it will be enough to effect real change https://lnkd.in/dchEceB9

At Cyti Psychological, we wholeheartedly support the recent stance of Supreme Court Justice in favor of diversion programs for mental health. Such initiatives can significantly improve outcomes for individuals in the criminal justice system. This article sheds light on the importance of addressing mental health issues through alternative approaches, emphasizing compassion and understanding. #MentalHealthAwareness #JusticeSystem #CompassionInAction #CriminalJusticeReform, #MentalHealthMatters https://vist.ly/3fah5

Well here it is folks - the long awaited Mental Health Bill, being introduced to Parliament today. On the tin it says, it will: * Increase the frequency of clinical reviews, to better ensure that the treatment patients receive is appropriate * Update the use of Community Treatment Orders, so that they are only used when appropriate and proportionate [having disproportionately been used for black people] * Limit the length of time that people with a learning disability and/or autistic people can be detained under the Act, if they do not have a co-occurring mental disorder that needs hospital treatment and have not committed a criminal offence * End the use of police and prison cells for detaining someone experiencing a mental health crisis instead of getting them access to a facility where they can get the proper support, such as a hospital * Speed up transfers from prison to hospital by limiting the time it can take to transfer prisoners who need treatment in a mental health hospital to a maximum of 28 days Plenty to talk about at our annual Mental Health Conference on 20 March 2025, but in the meantime, what do you think? #weightmanshealth

The Mental Health Bill has now been published and can be read via the link below (as well as the explanatory notes). The Bill is largely the same as the draft Bill published in 2022. But there are a number of changes since the draft Bill. The key changes are: * Detention Criteria – ‘how soon’ The Bill takes forward the Committee’s recommendation that the proposed requirement for clinicians to consider ‘how soon’ a harm might occur should be removed from the detention criteria revisions that the Bill seeks to make. * Nominated Person: The Committee supported the Nominated Person provisions but recommended that the Government work with Approved Mental Health Professionals to revise the proposals to address practical concerns. The Bill removes the requirement for the AMHP to see the Nominated Person in person. * Advance Choice Documents: The Bill has been updated to take on board the Committee’s recommendations on Advance Choice Documents. However, rather than create a right for a patient to request an Advance Choice Document, as the Committee recommended, the Bill takes a different approach. The Bill seeks to introduce duties on ICBs, NHS England and Local Health Boards (Wales) to make arrangements so that people at risk of detention are informed of their ability to make an Advance Choice Document, and (if they accept) supported to make one. * Principles: In line with the Committee’s recommendation, the Bill amends section 118, which makes requirements for the Code of Practice, to include the language of the four principles from the Independent Review. This will apply to both the Code of Practice for England, and the Code of Practice for Wales. * Discharge: The Bill contains measures for a new requirement for a patient’s responsible clinician to consult with a second professional involved in the patient’s care when taking the decision to discharge them from certain powers under the Act. Second reading is 25 November.