Information for people being assessed and treated under the Mental Health Act

You may be treated under the Mental Health Act (the Act) if you experience significant mental health challenges. Your mental health practitioner will find out:

• if your challenges make it difficult for you to safely care for yourself
• if your challenges are putting you or someone else at risk.

These considerations form part of the criteria used by mental health practitioners to assess you under the Act.
The Act allows you to be assessed and treated for your mental health needs. You can be treated under the Act with or without your consent. Your mental health practitioner will make every effort to ensure any treatment is decided with your consent but there may be times when this might not be possible. You always have the right to be informed and involved in decisions about your treatment. You are entitled to support from friends and whānau at each step of the process. The Act sets out special rights to protect you and recognises that your whānau relationships, particularly parenting and care giving relationships, are important to you and your whānau’s wellbeing.