Abstract
Despite efforts to integrate and harmonise legislation across the member states of the European Union (EU), mental health legislation, including legislation for the detention and treatment of offenders with mental disorders, differs widely across Europe. With changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 in the UK currently underway, investigating the different approaches to compulsory psychiatric care in other countries can be a stimulating and worthwhile exercise. We explored the Finnish mental health law with regard to compulsory admission and treatment and forensic care. Relevant differences between the Finnish approach and legislation in other European countries will be discussed.
Highlights
The main law regulating the compulsory admission of psychiatric patients to hospital in Finland is the Mental Health Act 1990/1116, which was passed in 1991 and amended in 2002
If at the end of the 3-month period it is considered likely that detention criteria are still fulfilled, new recommendations MII and MIII are filed and the renewed detention is valid for 6 months
No non-medical professionals are involved in the decision of involuntary admission a court has to reinforce the decision at a later time - and no distinction is made in legislation between admission and treatment
Summary
Despite efforts to integrate and harmonise legislation across the member states of the European Union (EU), mental health legislation, including legislation for the detention and treatment of offenders with mental disorders, differs widely across Europe. With changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 in the UK currently underway, investigating the different approaches to compulsory psychiatric care in other countries can be a stimulating and worthwhile exercise. We explored the Finnish mental health law with regard to compulsory admission and treatment and forensic care. Relevant differences between the Finnish approach and legislation in other European countries will be discussed. Finland has a population of approximately 5 255 580; a total of 4.3 million Finns (82.3%) live in urban communities, and Finland’s economic structure is that of a typical urbanised country. Unemployment rates have been high, between 10 and 15%, in the past 10 years (see http://virtual.finland.fi)
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