Publication date: January–February 2020
Source: International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Volume 68
Author(s): Daisy Cheung, Michael Dunn, Elizabeth Fistein, Peter Bartlett, John McMillan, Carole J. Petersen
Abstract
This article explores and outlines four possible pathways for law reform in the area of compulsory mental health admission and treatment in Hong Kong: the (i) abolition, (ii) risk of harm, (iii) mental capacity and (iv) consensus pathways. The discussion of each pathway takes into account local challenges in implementation, as well as Hong Kong’s international commitments for the protection of rights. In outlining these pathways for reform, the authors intend to also provide a blueprint for regulatory change in other jurisdictions that are in the process of reforming their mental health laws.