This Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on April 7, 2017.
Salient Features
It provides for healthcare and services to people with mental illness and also decriminalises suicide.
It also allows a mentally ill person to have the right to restrict release of information with respect to the illness and make a complaint about deficiencies in provision of services.
It allows every person has the right to access mental healthcare and treatment from health services run or funded by government.
It assures free treatment for mentally-ill persons if they are homeless or poor, even if they do not possess a Below Poverty Line card.
It provides that a person with mental illness will have the right to make an advance directive in writing specifying the way the person wishes to be cared for and treated for a mental illness.
It recognises the role of caregivers as those who can be appointed as a nominated representative of a mentally ill person, members of the Central Mental Health Authority and State Mental Health Authorities, or members of Mental Health Review Boards.
On the clauses decriminalising suicide, the Act states that a person who attempts suicide should be presumed to have severe stress, and shall not be punished.
