What are the legal rights of a mental health patient?

In California, mental health patients have the legal right to receive comprehensive and appropriate care that meets the needs of the individual. Mental health patients also have the right to be informed about their diagnosis, treatments, and care coordination in understandable language. Mental health patients have the right to be free from discrimination or reprisal and to have their records kept confidential except in certain circumstances, such as when mandated by law, in a court of law, or to protect public safety. They also have the right to access their records, including their current treatment information and the right to comment on their records. Mental health patients also have the right to participate in the development of their treatment plan and the right to refuse or consent to treatment. They also have the right to express their views and values in their treatment plan, as well as the right to choose which medication they take. California also recognizes the right of persons with mental health disabilities to be treated with dignity, to be consulted and involved in all decisions regarding their care, and to be provided with medically necessary care. Furthermore, mental health patients have the right to be free from physical and mental abuse, including the right to be free from seclusion and restraint.

Related FAQs

What is the right to refuse treatment?
What are the requirements for an involuntary commitment?
What is the right to a guardian ad litem in mental health proceedings?
What is the right to refuse electroconvulsive therapy?
What rights to privacy do people with mental illness have?
What is the right to an attorney during a commitment proceeding?
Who can give consent for a person to receive mental health treatment?
What are the rights of people with mental illness if they are in the military?
What is the right to have a representative in mental health proceedings?
What ethical concerns must mental health professionals consider when working with mentally ill patients?

What are the legal rights of a mental health patient?

Related FAQs

Related Blog Posts