All human-rights oriented mental health laws require proof of the presence of a mental disorder as defined by internationally accepted standards, but the type and severity of disorder that counts can vary in different jurisdictions. The two most often utilized grounds for involuntary admission are said to be serious likelihood of immediate or imminent danger to self or others, and the need for treatment. Applications for someone to be involuntarily admitted may usually come from a mental health practitioner, a family member, a close relative, or a guardian. Human-rights-oriented laws usually stipulate that independent medical practitioners or other accredited mental health practitioners must examine the patient separately and that there should be regular, time-bound review by an independent review body.<ref name="WHORIGHTS"/> An individual must be shown to lack the capacity to give or withhold informed consent (i.e. to understand treatment information and its implications). Legal challenges in some areas have resulted in [[supreme court]] decisions that a person does ''not'' have to agree with a psychiatrist's characterization of their issues as an "illness", nor with a psychiatrist's conviction in medication, but only recognize the issues and the information about treatment options.<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Sklar R |title=Starson v. Swayze: the Supreme Court speaks out (not all that clearly) on the question of "capacity" |journal=Can J Psychiatry |volume=52 |issue=6 |pages=390–6 |date=June 2007|pmid=17696026 }}</ref>

All human-rights oriented mental health laws require proof of the presence of a mental disorder as defined by internationally accepted standards, but the type and severity of disorder that counts can vary in different jurisdictions. The two most often utilized grounds for involuntary admission are said to be serious likelihood of immediate or imminent danger to self or others, and the need for treatment. Applications for someone to be involuntarily admitted may usually come from a mental health practitioner, a family member, a close relative, or a guardian. Human-rights-oriented laws usually stipulate that independent medical practitioners or other accredited mental health practitioners must examine the patient separately and that there should be regular, time-bound review by an independent review body.<ref name="WHORIGHTS"/> An individual must be shown to lack the capacity to give or withhold informed consent (i.e. to understand treatment information and its implications). Legal challenges in some areas have resulted in [[supreme court]] decisions that a person does ''not'' have to agree with a psychiatrist's characterization of their issues as an "illness", nor with a psychiatrist's conviction in medication, but only recognize the issues and the information about treatment options.<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Sklar R |title=Starson v. Swayze: the Supreme Court speaks out (not all that clearly) on the question of "capacity" |journal=Can J Psychiatry |volume=52 |issue=6 |pages=390–6 |date=June 2007|pmid=17696026 }}</ref>

Proxy consent (also known as [[substituted decision-making]]) may be given to a personal representative, a family member or a legally appointed guardian, or patients may have been able to enact an [[advance directive]] as to how they wish to be treated.<ref name="WHORIGHTS"/> The right to [[supported decision-making]] may also be included in legislation.<ref>Manitoba Family Services and Housing. The Vulnerable Persons Living with a Mental Disability Act, 1996</ref> [[Involuntary treatment]] laws are increasingly extended to those living in the community, for example [[outpatient commitment]] laws (known by different names) are used in [[New Zealand]], [[Australia]], the [[United Kingdom]] and most of the [[United States]].

Proxy consent (also known as [[substituted decision-making]]) may be given to a personal representative, a family member or a legally appointed guardian, or patients may have been able to enact an [[advance directive]] as to how they wish to be treated.<ref name="WHORIGHTS"/> The right to [[supported decision-making]] may also be included in legislation.<ref>Manitoba Family Services and Housing. The Vulnerable Persons Living with a Mental Disability Act, 1996</ref> [[Involuntary treatment]] laws are increasingly extended to those living in the community, for example [[outpatient commitment]] laws (known by different names) are used in [[New Zealand]], [[Australia]], the [[United Kingdom]] and most of the United States.

The World Health Organization reports that in many instances national mental health legislation takes away the rights of persons with mental disorders rather than protecting rights, and is often outdated.<ref name="WHORIGHTS"/> In 1991, the [[United Nations]] adopted the [[Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care]], which established minimum human rights standards of practice in the mental health field. In 2006, the UN formally agreed the [[Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities]] to protect and enhance the rights and opportunities of disabled people, including those with psychosocial disabilities.<ref>[http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/ ENABLE website] UN section on disability</ref>

The World Health Organization reports that in many instances national mental health legislation takes away the rights of persons with mental disorders rather than protecting rights, and is often outdated.<ref name="WHORIGHTS"/> In 1991, the [[United Nations]] adopted the [[Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care]], which established minimum human rights standards of practice in the mental health field. In 2006, the UN formally agreed the [[Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities]] to protect and enhance the rights and opportunities of disabled people, including those with psychosocial disabilities.<ref>[http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/ ENABLE website] UN section on disability</ref>

Media coverage of mental illness comprises predominantly negative depictions, for example, of incompetence, violence or criminality, with far less coverage of positive issues such as accomplishments or [[human rights]] issues.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Coverdate J, Nairn R, Claasen D |title= Depictions of mental illness in print media: a prospective national sample |journal=Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry |volume=36 |issue=5 |pages=697–700 |year=2001 |doi=10.1046/j.1440-1614.2002.00998.x |url=http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1440-1614.2002.00998.x |pmid=12225457}}</ref><ref>Edney, RD. (2004) [http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/content/about_mental_illness/mass_media.asp Mass Media and Mental Illness: A Literature Review] Canadian Mental Health Association</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Diefenbach DL |title=The portrayal of mental illness on prime-time television |journal=Journal of Community Psychology |volume=25 |issue=3 |pages=289–302 |year=1998 |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1520-6629(199705)25:3<289::AID-JCOP5>3.0.CO;2-R |url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/46099/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0}}</ref> Such negative depictions, including in children's cartoons, are thought to contribute to [[social stigma|stigma]] and negative attitudes in the public and in those with mental health problems themselves, although more sensitive or serious cinematic portrayals have increased in prevalence.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Sieff, E |title=Media frames of mental illnesses: The potential impact of negative frames |journal=Journal of Mental Health |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=259–69 |year=2003 |url=http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/cjmh/2003/00000012/00000003/art00006 |doi=10.1080/0963823031000118249 |format=}} {{Dead link|date=March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Wahl, O.F. |title=News Media Portrayal of Mental Illness: Implications for Public Policy |journal=American Behavioral Scientist |volume=46 |issue=12 |pages=1594–600 |year=2003 |doi=10.1177/0002764203254615 |url=http://abs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/46/12/1594 }}</ref>

Media coverage of mental illness comprises predominantly negative depictions, for example, of incompetence, violence or criminality, with far less coverage of positive issues such as accomplishments or [[human rights]] issues.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Coverdate J, Nairn R, Claasen D |title= Depictions of mental illness in print media: a prospective national sample |journal=Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry |volume=36 |issue=5 |pages=697–700 |year=2001 |doi=10.1046/j.1440-1614.2002.00998.x |url=http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1440-1614.2002.00998.x |pmid=12225457}}</ref><ref>Edney, RD. (2004) [http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/content/about_mental_illness/mass_media.asp Mass Media and Mental Illness: A Literature Review] Canadian Mental Health Association</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Diefenbach DL |title=The portrayal of mental illness on prime-time television |journal=Journal of Community Psychology |volume=25 |issue=3 |pages=289–302 |year=1998 |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1520-6629(199705)25:3<289::AID-JCOP5>3.0.CO;2-R |url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/46099/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0}}</ref> Such negative depictions, including in children's cartoons, are thought to contribute to [[social stigma|stigma]] and negative attitudes in the public and in those with mental health problems themselves, although more sensitive or serious cinematic portrayals have increased in prevalence.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Sieff, E |title=Media frames of mental illnesses: The potential impact of negative frames |journal=Journal of Mental Health |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=259–69 |year=2003 |url=http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/cjmh/2003/00000012/00000003/art00006 |doi=10.1080/0963823031000118249 |format=}} {{Dead link|date=March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Wahl, O.F. |title=News Media Portrayal of Mental Illness: Implications for Public Policy |journal=American Behavioral Scientist |volume=46 |issue=12 |pages=1594–600 |year=2003 |doi=10.1177/0002764203254615 |url=http://abs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/46/12/1594 }}</ref>

In the [[United States]], the [[Carter Center]] has created fellowships for journalists in [[South Africa]], the U.S., and [[Romania]], to enable reporters to research and write stories on mental health topics.<ref name="Fellows">{{Cite web |author= The Carter Center |title=The Carter Center Awards 2008-2009 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism |date=2008-07-18 |url=http://www.cartercenter.com/news/pr/mental_health_fellows_2008_2009.html |accessdate=2008-07-21}}</ref> Former [[First Lady of the United States|US First Lady]] [[Rosalynn Carter]] began the fellowships not only to train reporters in how to sensitively and accurately discuss mental health and mental illness, but also to increase the number of stories on these topics in the news media.<ref name="RCFellows">{{Cite web |author=The Carter Center |title=The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships For Mental Health JournalisM |url=http://www.cartercenter.com/health/mental_health/fellowships/index.html |accessdate=2008-07-21}}</ref><ref name="RCadvoc">{{Cite web |author=The Carter Center |title=Rosalynn Carter's Advocacy in Mental Health |url=http://www.cartercenter.com/health/mental_health/rc_advocacy.html |accessdate=2008-07-21}}</ref> There is a [[World Mental Health Day]], which the US and Canada subsume under a [[Mental Illness Awareness Week]].

In the United States, the [[Carter Center]] has created fellowships for journalists in [[South Africa]], the U.S., and [[Romania]], to enable reporters to research and write stories on mental health topics.<ref name="Fellows">{{Cite web |author= The Carter Center |title=The Carter Center Awards 2008-2009 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism |date=2008-07-18 |url=http://www.cartercenter.com/news/pr/mental_health_fellows_2008_2009.html |accessdate=2008-07-21}}</ref> Former [[First Lady of the United States|US First Lady]] [[Rosalynn Carter]] began the fellowships not only to train reporters in how to sensitively and accurately discuss mental health and mental illness, but also to increase the number of stories on these topics in the news media.<ref name="RCFellows">{{Cite web |author=The Carter Center |title=The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships For Mental Health JournalisM |url=http://www.cartercenter.com/health/mental_health/fellowships/index.html |accessdate=2008-07-21}}</ref><ref name="RCadvoc">{{Cite web |author=The Carter Center |title=Rosalynn Carter's Advocacy in Mental Health |url=http://www.cartercenter.com/health/mental_health/rc_advocacy.html |accessdate=2008-07-21}}</ref> There is a [[World Mental Health Day]], which the US and Canada subsume under a [[Mental Illness Awareness Week]].

The general public have been found to hold a strong stereotype of dangerousness and desire for social distance from individuals described as mentally ill.<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Link BG, Phelan JC, Bresnahan M, Stueve A, Pescosolido BA |title=Public conceptions of mental illness: labels, causes, dangerousness, and social distance |journal=Am J Public Health |volume=89 |issue=9 |pages=1328–33 |date=September 1999|pmid=10474548 |pmc=1508784 |url=http://www.ajph.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=10474548 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.89.9.1328}}</ref> A US national survey found that a higher percentage of people rate individuals described as displaying the characteristics of a mental disorder as "likely to do something violent to others", compared to the percentage of people who are rating individuals described as being "troubled".<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Pescosolido BA, Monahan J, Link BG, Stueve A, Kikuzawa S |title=The public's view of the competence, dangerousness, and need for legal coercion of persons with mental health problems |journal=Am J Public Health |volume=89 |issue=9 |pages=1339–45 |date=September 1999|pmid=10474550 |pmc=1508769 |url=http://www.ajph.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=10474550 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.89.9.1339}}</ref>

The general public have been found to hold a strong stereotype of dangerousness and desire for social distance from individuals described as mentally ill.<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Link BG, Phelan JC, Bresnahan M, Stueve A, Pescosolido BA |title=Public conceptions of mental illness: labels, causes, dangerousness, and social distance |journal=Am J Public Health |volume=89 |issue=9 |pages=1328–33 |date=September 1999|pmid=10474548 |pmc=1508784 |url=http://www.ajph.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=10474548 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.89.9.1328}}</ref> A US national survey found that a higher percentage of people rate individuals described as displaying the characteristics of a mental disorder as "likely to do something violent to others", compared to the percentage of people who are rating individuals described as being "troubled".<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Pescosolido BA, Monahan J, Link BG, Stueve A, Kikuzawa S |title=The public's view of the competence, dangerousness, and need for legal coercion of persons with mental health problems |journal=Am J Public Health |volume=89 |issue=9 |pages=1339–45 |date=September 1999|pmid=10474550 |pmc=1508769 |url=http://www.ajph.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=10474550 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.89.9.1339}}</ref>

==References==

==References==