Course Overview

This course can be taken alone; however, it qualifies as an elective for the Concurrent Disorders Certificate Program.

This six-week course provides an understanding of key legal issues in mental health illness care in Ontario, in the context of clinical, ethical, organizational and systemic factors. Health care practitioners must be constantly mindful of their legal obligations—including admission, treatment, discharge and health records—in order to respond effectively to clients' rights and empower them to make their own health care decisions.

Learning Objectives

As a result of participation in this course, you will be able to:

• discuss mental health care in a multi-dimensional context
• summarize legislation governing mental health care in Ontario
• explain the process of admission to a psychiatric facility, as well as the legal obligations and responsibilities of clinicians and the facility
  describe the treatment regime in psychiatric facilities
• discuss the Ontario Consent and Capacity Board, including its structure, scope and powers, as well as the hearing process
• describe clinical and legal considerations of discharge, including readiness for discharge and discharge procedures, follow-up and community
• care issues, re-admission issues and community treatment orders
• explain legal requirements of privacy and confidentiality of health information, as well duties to warn of or report harm.

Course Requirements

• allocate a minimum of three to four hours per week to the course to review module content, complete the weekly activities and contribute to discussions
• contribute weekly to the learning community at least one original message and at least one response to another learner
• be aware of tone and language use when posting messages (remember that online messages can come across differently than face-to-face conversation
• complete the end of course evaluation

Certification and Accreditation

Continuing Professional Development has awarded the Legal Issues in Mental Health in Ontario 2023-2024 with the following credits: 

• Royal College Maintenance of Certification Section 1: 21.5 hours 

Delivery Method

Online course

Please note: This course requires you to use an internet browser, but the system does not support Microsoft Internet Explorer. Do not use that to access the course. Instead, use one of the following:

• Apple Safari
• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Edge
• Mozilla Firefox

For more details, please read the browser and compatibility support   page.

Please review the cancellation policy