Register Now: Launch of the Mental Health Act, 2001 Toolkit.

26 Oct 2022

The School of Law, University College Cork, has developed a Mental Health Act Toolkit in partnership with Mental Health Reform.  The launch will take place online on Thursday, 10^th of November. The Toolkit will be a vital means of empowerment, enabling people to become educated about their rights, so that they can exercise and claim those rights

The School of Law, University College Cork, has developed a Mental Health Act, 2001 Toolkit in partnership with Mental Health Reform. When people with mental health difficulties are admitted to mental health units, either on a voluntary or involuntary basis, it is vital that user-friendly, accessible, information is available regarding human rights. Access to this information is essential for people with mental health difficulties, their family members, advocates, supporters and carers.

Speakers

• Darius Whelan and Claire Carroll, School of Law, University College Cork
• Róisín Clarke, Interim CEO, Mental Health Reform
• Ber Grogan, Policy and Research Manager, Mental Health Reform
• Sinéad Mc Dermott, Family Peer Support Worker

When: Thursday, 10th November 10am – 11am
Where: Online, via Zoom
Registration: Webinar Registration - Zoom

If you would like further information or have questions about the event, please contact Stephen Sheil, Mental Health Reform at ssheil@mentalhealthreform.ie

About the Mental Health Act, 2001 Toolkit

The Mental Health Act, 2001 Toolkit will be published on Mental Health Reform’s website and will include information on topics such as the following:

• What are the main human rights in Mental Health law?
• What is the Mental Health Act?
• Can I make an Advance Healthcare Directive?
• The Role and Rights of my Supporters / Family / Carers
• Approved Centres and What to Expect
• My Rights as a ‘Voluntary Patient’
• My Rights as an ‘Involuntary Patient’
• Mental Health Tribunals Explained
• Complaints, Advocacy and Activism 

The Toolkit will be a vital means of empowerment, enabling people to become educated about their rights, so that they can exercise and claim those rights.  This aids fuller realisation of rights provided by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Irish Constitution, and other human rights documents. 

The Toolkit was drafted in consultation with Mental Health Reform’s member organisations, through a series of online and in-person consultation meetings. The meetings were attended by a wide variety of people, including people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, family members, staff and supporters of organisations.  
 
This project was funded by the Irish Research Council. The researcher was Darius Whelan and the Research Assistant was Claire Carroll. The co-ordinator from Mental Health Reform was Ber Grogan.