Mental Health Law Reform Task Force
Since its inception, the Mental Health Act has undergone various changes, including in 2000 when Community Treatment Orders were introduced and, most recently, in 2015, when an amendment granted the Consent & Capacity Board powers to order terms and conditions for long-term involuntary patients. Given the possibility for change, psychiatrists can work together and contribute their expertise, knowledge and front-line experience to generate additional ideas for potential mental health law reforms that can improve patient care and access to timely treatment.
The OPA Council approved a task force focused on identifying specific ideas for mental health law reform. This task force brings together various stakeholders including resident and practicing psychiatrists, legal experts and patient/family advisors so discussions can draw upon different experiences and perspectives. The Mental Health Law Reform Task Force completed its working group meetings in 2020 and finalized a summary document that outlines the areas in mental health law to which the OPA has committed ongoing advocacy efforts. The goal is to promote changes that will improve mental health care services available for patients, families and mental health practitioners on both individual and system-wide levels.
Dr. Lyndal Petit & Dr. Karen Shin
OPA Mental Health Law Reform Task Force Leads
Mental Health Law Reform Updates
August 2025
Involuntary Admissions and Treatment Pending Appeal - OPA's Mental Health Law Proposals
The OPA's Mental Health Law Reform Task Force continues to advance mental health law reform and has updated the OPA's Mental Health Law Proposals.
- Permit Treatment Pending Appeal under the Health Care Consent Act Sec 18.
- Remove past response to treatment from Form 3 Box B Involuntary Admission Criteria, under the Mental Health Act Sec 20 (1.1).
- Change involuntary admission criterion of "serious bodily harm" to "serious harm" and concomitantly, narrow Ontario's Mental Health Act definition of "mental disorder" to denote serious mental illness, under the Mental Health Act Sec 1; Sec 20 (1.1; 5).
- Extend a first involuntary admission to up to 30 days, under a Form 3 (MHA Sec 20 [4]).
OPA's Mental Health Law Reform Proposal
Articles, People's Stories, and Academic Journal Articles
Letter Writing Campaign
Ontario formed a new parliament in 2025 and they need to hear your views on Mental Health Law Reform.
Join our letter writing campaign!
OPA's Mental Health Law Reform Letter Writing Campaign
Articles, People's Stories, and Academic Journal Articles
July 2025
Meeting with Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addiction's Office.
Winter 2025
OPA's Mental Health Law Reform Task Force - Substance Use Disorders
There is national discussion regarding compulsory substance use disorder treatment.
Dr. Valerie Primeau is leading the OPA's Mental Health Law Reform Task Force's Substance Use Disorder Group. The current focus is a review of Ontario's current practices under the law and exploration of clinical situations that require further review. Scholarly work addressing these matters has been accepted for a session of presentations at the International Academy of Law and Mental Health (IALMH) conference in Montreal for 2026.
November 2024
Involuntary Admissions and Treatment Pending Appeal - Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Conference
OPA Mental Health Law Reform Task Force Members presented a General Session on "Canadian Mental Health Law Practices Regarding Involuntary Admission and Treatment Pending Appeal" at the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Conference. It had a strong attendance by individuals across the country. The discussion among attendees showed significant jurisdiction differences for access to care because of the law. Ontario was an outlier because its legislation bars access to involuntary admission and compulsory treatment to address non-bodily serious harms or substantial mental/physical deterioration (without a past response to treatment) due to mental illness. Most jurisdictions permit involuntary admission to address these serious consequences of untreated illness.
Fall 2024 - August 2025
OPA's Mental Health Law Reform Task Force - Community Treatment Orders
The OPA's Mental Health Law Reform Task Force worked on recommendations to improve Community Treatment Orders and issued a letter to parliament to advise the Ontario Government's 5-year mandatory CTO review.
Task Force members' scholarly work addressing CTOs has been accepted for a session of presentations at the International Academy of Law and Mental Health (IALMH) conference in Montreal for 2026.
September 2024
The OPA Mental Health Law Reform Task Force has had a busy summer with presentations to the Ontario Family Caregivers Advisory Network and at the International Academy of Law and Mental Health Congress in Barcelona. See the Scientific Program here. The OPA is advocating to change Ontario's laws so that treatment pending court appeal can be provided for patients found incapable after a Consent Capacity Board hearing, and also for a change to involuntary hospitalization that allows for more people to access hospital care when they are incapable and at risk for mental or physical deterioration. The OPA planned the Congress sessions to focus on Ontario's mental health laws and included presentations by the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Minister Michael Tibollo.
Spring 2024
Meetings with the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and his Office.
Meeting with the NDP Critic of Health.
Winter 2024
Fall 2023; Winter and Fall 2024
Meetings with the Liberal Critic of Health.
OPA Letter-Writing Campaign
Advocate legislative change to allow earlier access to care for your loved ones with severe mental illness
August 2025
Current mental health laws impede early access to psychiatric treatment, leading to worse health outcomes for incapable persons with severe mental illness who are denied rights to health. The OPA calls for legislative change to better meet the needs of Ontarians with severe mental illness and the families supporting them.
The Ontario Psychiatric Association proposes 4 reforms to Ontario mental health law:
- Permit Treatment Pending Appeal under the Health Care Consent Act Sec 18.
- Remove past response to treatment from Form 3 Box B Involuntary Admission Criteria, under the Mental Health Act Sec 20 (1.1).
- Change involuntary admission criterion of "serious bodily harm" to "serious harm" and concomitantly, narrow Ontario's Mental Health Act definition of "mental disorder" to denote serious mental illness, under the Mental Health Act Sec 1; Sec 20 (1.1; 5).
- Extend a first involuntary admission to up to 30 days, under a Form 3 (MHA Sec 20 [4]).
OPA's Mental Health Law Reform Letter Writing Campaign
OPA's Mental Health Law Reform Proposal
Articles, People's Stories, and Academic Journal Articles
Engage on social media
OPA IN THE NEWS
2025 CBC News article featuring Dr. Karen Shin: "Debate on forced mental health treatment continues as one woman's costs top $800K"
2022 Healthy Debate article featuring Dr. Angela Ho, Dr. Lyndal Petit and Dr. Karen Shin: "Ontario’s mental health laws must change to protect our most vulnerable patients"
