What is Volunteer / Independent admission (Sec 86) under Mental Healthcare Act, 2017?

What is Volunteer / Independent admission (Sec 86) under Mental Healthcare Act, 2017?

As per the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, Sec 85 “independent patient or an independent admission” refers to the admission of person with mental illness, to a mental health establishment, who has the capacity to make mental healthcare and treatment decisions or requires minimal support in making decisions. All admissions in the mental health establishment shall, as far as possible, be independent admissions.

Any person, who is not a minor and who considers himself to have a mental illness and desires to be admitted to any mental health establishment for treatment may request the medical officer or mental health professional in charge of the establishment to be admitted as an independent patient.

The medical officer or mental health professional in charge of the establishment shall admit the person to the establishment if the medical officer or mental health professional is satisfied that––

(a) the person has a mental illness of a severity requiring admission to a mental health establishment;

(b) the person with mental illness is likely to benefit from admission and treatment to the mental health establishment;

(c) the person has understood the nature and purpose of admission to the mental health establishment, and has made the request for admission of his own free will, without any duress or undue influence and has the capacity to make mental healthcare and treatment decisions without support or requires minimal support from others in making such decisions.

The mental health establishment shall admit an independent patient on his own request, and shall not require the consent or presence of a nominated representative or a relative or care-giver for admitting the person to the mental health establishment.