Criteria, Procedures, and Future Prospects of Involuntary Treatment in Psychiatry Around the World: A Narrative Review

This study confirms that only 2% of admissions were prepared by the cantons and that the revised law did not affect the length of hospitalization (41).The 1991 Swedish law on Psychiatric Compulsory Care established mandatory criteria for involuntary treatment: the establishment of a severe mental disorder, an absolute (essential) need for care, the patient refuses or cannot make a full judgment on the need for care, and there is a risk of harming themselves or others due to the severe mental disorder (42, 43). A decision on admission for compulsory care may not be taken without a medical certificate by a doctor in public service responsible for conducting examinations for health certificates. The question of admission must be settled within 24 h of arrival at the hospital. The admission decision is made by the chief physician of the psychiatric care unit and must not be made by the doctor who issued the health certificate. If the patient needs compulsory care beyond 4 weeks from the date of the admission decision, an application for consent must be made to the administrative court.The Finnish Mental Health Act considers the general “right to receive care” rather than on individual civil liberties. The criteria are the presence of a mental illness, the need for treatment due to serious danger to one’s health, dangerousness, and outpatient services not being available or being inadequate (31, 44). The dangerousness criterion is sufficient for an involu...
Source: Frontiers in Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research