Mental health deserves equality with physical health and should be viewed as a central component in people’s lives, particularly for people with complex needs and severe mental illness. People affected by the current measures are often unsure of their rights because of the fragmented and dated nature of the legislative framework.
This is why we are calling for:
- A commitment to review and strengthen the legislative framework so that mental health and substance use laws have parity.
- Mental health and substance use to be seen as a public health priority, not a criminal justice issue.
- Existing legislation to be brought together to ensure laws are unified, people’s rights are clear, and the least restrictive safeguards are used.
Click here to read more about this priority in our policy blog.