Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017
The SA(CAT) Act 2017
The Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017, also known as the SA(CAT) Act, came into effect on 21 February 2018.
It replaced the Alcoholism and Addiction Act 1966.
Compulsory assessment and treatment is an option of last resort and the Act reflects that the human right to liberty must only be taken away when people are at serious risk of harm and do not have the capacity to make decisions about treatment.
As part of protecting those rights the Act introduced new processes, roles and expectations for the addiction workforce.
More information
A range of e-learning training modules are available to orient the workforce to the Act and statutory roles. Video resources show highlights of training on capacity assessments and providing mana enhancing care as required in the Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017. New content will be developed as resources allow.
For further information on the Act, visit the Ministry of Health website.
