What rights do people have around treatment for mental illness?

Anyone who wants psychiatric help can ask to be admitted to hospital for treatment. In some situations, the BC Mental Health Act also allows authorities (such as a doctor or the court) to send people to the hospital even if they don’t want to go (involuntarily).

Helpful resources

• Hospitalizing a Mentally Ill Person (People’s Law School): This page and audio provides information about voluntary and involuntary admission to hospital.
• LSLAP Manual: Mental Health Law (PDF) (Law Students’ Legal Advice Program): This has information on consent to treatment and consent to treatment forms.

Helpful service

• Mental Health Law Program (Community Legal Assistance Society): This program provides legal advice and representation to people who are involuntarily detained under the BC Mental Health Act or who have custody or conditional discharge orders under the mental disorder provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada. Check their restrictions to see if you qualify.
• Find more services.