What are the rights of mentally ill people in the healthcare system?

Mentally ill people in the District of Columbia have the same rights to medical care as anyone else. This includes the right to receive professional assistance, the right to choose their own provider, and the right to make decisions about their own healthcare. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) has been established to ensure that mental health and addiction treatment is given the same consideration as physical health care. The MHPAEA requires insurance companies and employer-sponsored health plans to provide equal coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services. This means that insurance companies must cover mental health care services and treatments at the same level they cover physical health care services. In addition, individuals receiving mental health services have the right to be free from discrimination and to be treated with dignity and respect. Mental health professionals are obligated to protect the confidentiality of patient information and are prohibited from sharing it with any third parties without the patient’s written permission. Finally, mentally ill people also have the right to refuse treatment when necessary. This is to ensure that individuals are not receiving treatment without their consent. As such, any mental health services must be done with the full knowledge, voluntary participation, and consent of the patient.

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