A Mental Health Act for Iraq

My friends, This is an act that was signed by the Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawy, but never passed in the Parliament. We need to make it pass with some amendments. Please feel free to contribute in editing. Goran

Iraqi mental health council
The Objectives of mental health act are to put the basic and wide rules which organize the quality and ways in dealing with the individuals who this law will apply on ( including the individuals who are being mentaly assessed and need compulsory admission to psychiatric hospital , or units for treatment ) , according to criteria and conditions used internationally and as follow :

1. Keeping with international laws and traditions as regard to human rights .
2. Taking in consideration the basic needs of the individuals and within the available sources with the guaranty to provide these needs with the improvement of the sources .
3. Give them the necessary medical treatment and care according to their needs to this treatment , and ensure their own and society safety .
4. The treatment and care should include maintainance , and provide the method of gaining their confidence , and personal feeling to take responsibility in accordance with their needs and wishes .
5. To ensure the discharge the patients from detention imposed on them according to this law , and to free them from all conditions imposed on them accordingly , when it becomes clear that the application of this law is no longer needed.

Definitions
Section one of the law specified wide technical terms meant to include the following conditions :
A- Psychotic Disorders :
Include all psychotic disorders wheather organic or functional in origin .
B- Neurotic Disorders :
Means the disorders which the patient suffer subjectively and which have effect on patient psychological stabalization emotion , feeling and his ability for social adaptation , without lossing his mental ability
C- Other Disorders :
1. Mental Retordation
( Mild – Modrate – sever )
There are two criteria to include mental retardation within the application of the law
a- It has to be a condition of arrested or incomplete development of the mind characterised by impairment of skills manifested during the period , which contribute to the overall level of intelligence i.e cognitive , langnage , motor and social .
b- The condition is accompoined by abnormal and dongerous aggressive behaviour .
2. Psychopathic personality disorder :
It is a techincal broad term which doesn’t mean ( psychopathic personality ) and which has aggressive tendency against the society , whic encompass, deeply ingrained maladeptive patterns of behaviour ( wheather or not has a noticeable limitation of intelligence ) and which lead to aggressive behaviour without awareness of its consequence by the affected individual .
3. Other disorders not mentioned above :
These include disorders which may be used as a result of clinical skill and experience as a mitigation factor and according to the type and circum stances of the crime .
Note :
Treatment means :
All medical effects including , nursing , different ways of care , rehablitation of patient under medical supervision .
( This law ) means
Mental Health Law 2004 where ever used .
Taking effect of the law section one specified
The application of this law will take effect on patient who suffers from one or more psychotic or neurotic disorders and other disorders specified by the psychiatrist .
The patient will be considered as a voluntry “( informal ) if he consults the psychiatric services voluntrly , and a formal ( unvoluntry ) patient if his consultation done without his will for purpose of treatment .





In order to establish and increase awreness of the importance and mental health and the laws of mental health , and to facilitate the procedure of building all units and establishments needed to provide diffrent psychiatric services , and to ensure continuty to develop these services , it was decided to set up this body ( NCMH ) from representatives of different society leaders with the guaranty of its openess on movement of scientific and service development in the world .
The setup of the council is a guarantee to fullfill the following objectives :
1. To establish and increase awareness of the importance of mental health in general and the laws of mental health specifically .
2. To create a suitable enviroment for the body to give its decisions the strenght , the effectiveness and the understanding needed for the purpose of continuation to provide actual psychiatric services on both scientific and practical side .
3. To guarantee continuation the development of these services and people working in their sectors by activation of local and internal abilities , and to benefit from the openess on advanced international experiences .
4. To work in a way of organized , and united method , and best utilization of time and efforts .
The decision of establishment :
The council is established by a decision of the minster of health
The body is chaired by the National Mental HealthAdvisor , and members from experts and specialists from the following minsteries :
Ministry of Health – Ministry of Higher Education – Ministry of Defence – Ministry of Interior Affair – Ministry of Justice – Ministry of work and social Affair – Ministry of Human Right , and two members of experienced forensic psychiatrists .

The target of the nature of NCMH duties in the above item are the following :
1. Ensure protection of interests and caring the welfare of the patients suffering from mental disorders within the national programme of mental health accredited in the ministry of health with co- operation of WHO programms .
2. Preparation and avaliability of human and other resources ( including , hospitals , unit building and instrument needed for the care of the patients .
3. Arrangment of foundations and specific criteria which secure providing mental health services for patients in the required way wheather by co-ordination or participation in preparing these foundations and criteria and which secure the type of service needed , And to ensure establishment of psychiatric Hospitals, Units and psychiatric outpatient clinics wheather govermental or belong to public sector, and to ensure that these psychiatric service adhere to the required criteria .
4.To ensure continue scientific development, to improve the performance of all workers in these services by activation of all scientific activities such as conference, workshops, or taking part in periodic litletchers, wheather inside or out side country especially with international organisations to exchange skills and experiences .
5. Pay attention to the rehablitationpart for patients and invite other authorities with same interest to arrange and prepare social and professional programmes and activities to care for patients.
6. To examine and review the mental health laws, by studying the reports provided by subdivision committees in baghdad and other governorates, and other forensic committees provided for this purpose, by direct observation on all mental health establishments, therefor the NCMH in this way will take part in legislation of mental health law more developed in future .
7. Ensure speed up and utilization of time by giving the Extra authority to the chairman of the body to take suitable measures after consultation with other specialists in the body .
8. The work to establish specialized medical unit to care the detained , charged and sentenced patients whom are involved by this law in all governorates.
9. Ensure the immunity and security and support of all workers in this field, and issue clear and correct criteria for this purpose.









The procedure of setting up these committees aimed at widening the network of mental health services in the countryboth in quality and quantity .
The responsibilities of subdivision committees are :
a- Follow up the excusion of the bodys decisions .
b- Direct supervision of treatment of voluntry patients, the detained patient in psychiatric hospital and units.
c- Examine closely the psychiatric reports raised by different hospital adminstrations, and the reports of forensic psychiatric committees .
d- Also to follow up the interests of the patients to fit the lists of human rights , by studying objections and complaints in respect of the patients, and by checking the work and decisions of forensic psychiatric committee issued against the patients. And by applying appeal to some of these decisions when needed, ( according to item 94 of public health law No.89 .
e- Finally the body also raises all cases related to detained patient to all ministries and bodies responsible for .


This section reassured that there should be a co-operation of all ministries, and bodies not attached to a ministry of health , and other interested with the ( NCMH ) and its subdivision committees to ensure a streamlined work, easy practice, to excute and provide best psychiatric services .


Caring the patients :-
Detention of the patient :

According to the lists of human rights which stated :
Any man has the right of freedom and safety, and no one can deprive him her from this right except in the following conditions and according to certain measures imposed by the law :
1. Legal detention of any human to prevent an infecious disease .
2. Legal detention of mental patients, and those who are alcohol or drug addicts, and there is a geniune mental disorder verified on abasis from a practical clinical experience, and the mental illness is from the type which necessate compulsory detention to avoid risk on patient or society or both .













Section -7-
Two
Period of detention maximum for 72 hours
Requirments :
The psychiatrist has the authority to admitt a patient in a closed psychiatric unit after completing needed form for admission, clarifying clinical features which necessate this procedure after exhausting other means to admitt the patient voluntrly .
Conditions :
1. The patient suffers from unspecified mental disorder accompanied by obvious behavioural disorder .
2. The admission to closed psychiatric unit should be in the interestof the patient and to protect others .
3. According to the above point the detention of the patient in this unit is for the purpose to correct his condition which could end to a treatment plan and according to his state .
4. The patient should be referred to a specialized psychiatric committee to evaluate his illness state .
5. In the current circumstance the country is going through, and due to shortage of doctors in other governorates it is best the chairman of the committee be at least specialized in forensic psychiatry, or has completed a training course which make him able to deal with these cases .
6. And for the same reason ( shortage of doctors ) , and there is no available specialized psychiatric committee , the patient can be seen by a second psychiatrist who has knowledge or experience in forensic psychiatry ( specialized or completed atraining course, or has an experience in forensic psychiatry no less than 3 years ) .
7. This second psychiatrist should examine the patient and give his second opinian within the 72 hour and from the time of admission . The same procedure can be applied in Baghdad in emergency cases, and when it is impossible to hold ameeting for the psychiatric committee within the detention period ( 72 hours )
he Closed Treatment Unit
Section – 7 –
Three
a- The unit should have all facilities of precautionary treatment .
b- In emergency cases and when needed to give the patient treatment on compulsory admission this treatment should be given on patient requirments and according to condition development, taking in consideration how to deal with the patient .
While in case of treatment decided by the medical committee, it has to be under the supervision of responsible medical officer ( the psychiatrist ) .
c- When possible get the help of the police to bring the patient or during admission procedures.
d- The specialist doctor who admitted the patient ( compulsory admission ) should be the responsible medical officer during the period of detention ( 72 hour ) until the patient is seen by the committee or having second opinian .



One
Period of admission is 30 days conditions :-
a- The patient suffers from Acute mental illness such as
Acute psychotic Disorders ( functional or organic ) or the patient suffers from mental retardation , or personality disorders with dangerous behavioural disorder with serious conseguenceand which when treated :
The condition improved or, stop the progress of his condition .
b- Threre should be utmost necessity to secure patient's health and safety as well as other's safety, by detaining the patient for 30 days according to assessment and the opinion of the committee weather there is any chance of improvement of the patient state during this period .

Requirements :
a- The specialized psychiatric committee should submit a report about the patient seen, containing a recommondation to detain this patient in a treatment medical unit for the purpose of medical treatment for 30 days, unrenewable .
b- In case the specialist psychiatric committee is not available, the psychiatrist who proceed for compulsory admission should consult another psychiatrist therefore the two doctor will deputize the specialist psychiatric committee for the purpose above .
c- The forensic psychiatric report, should be examined by a specialist investigation judge within 72 hours to issue an agreement decision to detain the patient .
d- The above decision will be referred to attorney general .
e- The hospital manager or the responsible social worker will inform the patient's relative or the patient about rights under this law .
f- The patient or his relatives have the right to appeal against this detention with 14 days from the date of admission by writing to hospital manager or subdivision committee .


1. The specialized psychiatric committee ( when available ) or the two psychiatrists who recommonded emergency admission will discharge the patient when his condition improves , and will issue a forensic psychiatric report recommonding a medical follow up if needed .
2. A copy of this report should be sent to attorney general to let him know about discharge .
3. If the patient absconds from the hospital , help from police ( according to section 90 ) can be sought to bring him back , and in case he remains absent during the period of detention he will be automatically discharged and attorney general will be informed .
4. The hospital manager has to try not to let patient to apply for appeal hoping to discharge from the hospital, if the responsible medical officer considers that the patient will be risk to himself and to others .



Period 180 day or less renewable
Conditions :
The same as section – 8- one except treatment time
Requirements :
The same as section – 8 – one except that the admission is for compulsory treatment for 180 days or less renewable.
Also section – 8 – two can be applied befor the end of treatment period ( 30 days ) mentioned in section – 8 – one if the detained patient did not improve . The forensic psychiatric report should be submitted to responsible investigation judge to issue decision of admission to hospital for treatment .
The investigation judge should inform the attorney general for follow up .
Right for appeal :
The patient or his relative or his lawyer have the right to appeal against this section within 30 days from its date of issue .
Requirments of discharge :-
The same as requirements mentioned in section – 8 – one .
Section – 9 –
The hospital management can seek the help of the police in order to help admission of the patients or returning them back when they abscond to treatment units ( those included in section – 8 – one and two mentioned before .




Section – 10 –
he hospital manager has the right to give leave to patient no longer than 48 hours , after the patients relative guaranty to bring him back to the unit after knowing the address of the patient .
This is i.e the leave is considered to be part of the treatment and after recommondation of the responsible medical officer .


Chapter Four
The care of charged patients :
With exception of legal procedures required , the patients subjected to this law have the same rights given to other patients concerning assessment and given treatment .
The charged patient where ever found such as police stations , dentention centres , or prisons has the right to be treated if needed this psychiatric treatment due to mental disorder and which could not be done in proper except in hospitals .
There fore the patients in these places i.e police stations , prisons , etc are subjected in great deal to psychological stresses caused by these places , which render them to be at risk of suicide or dangerous behaviour to them selve or others .
Especially and taking into account that the medical care centres in prisons for example , donot give the right specifications , which referred to in this law , to describe the treatment units .
There fore it is necessory for all specialities dealing with such patients within this section to be a ware of the terms and termenologies of this law in addition to health requirements wheather legal came from interior minstry , or from ministry of health informed by the National Council of Mental Health .
In addition to this , doctors , and other specialitises working in this field should be aware of all responsibilites , changes and requirements , referred by the international laws of human rights which work to secure best and fair medical care for these patients .


The forensic psychiatric committee
Section – 11 – one
This committee established at present time in Baghdad , and it will possible to establish it in other governorates when the specialist medical team will be available in future .
The authority of establishment :-
It is the authority of minster of health to nominate the chairman and members of this committee at the suggestion of national mental health advisor , or his deputy .
The chairman : -
Must be a forensic psychiatrist , or has passed a training course in this field or has experience in forensic psychiatry 5 years or more .
Members :-
The committee comprises of two members each one should be a forensic psychiatrist or as the chairman , or has experience in forensic psychiatry no less than 3 years .
Duties of the committee :-
1. The committee carries out examination of charged patients referred to it , by investigation authority or court according to arequest submitted by the attorney general or the patient , his relative or his lawyer, or at the request of the court , for the purpose of examination of his mental state and to provide a forensic psychiatric report , and which comprises some needed recommondations about the patient .
2. The committee carries out examination of patients jailed in prisons spending their sentences, to assess their mental states and to indicate their need for treatment and where to be treated .
The committee carries out examination of patients included in section - 7 – two referred to it , to give reports about them .
3. The committee carries out examination of all patients under its care , wheather they charged and referred by courts or they are spending their sentences in prisons , or the referred patients under section – 7 – two , periodically for follow up or to give final reports about them .
The action period of the committee :-
The forensic psychiatric committee carries out its duties for a period notless than six months and no more than one year , then , it will be changed according to the advice national council of mental health , and the agrement of minister of health , except in the governorates where there are no enough doctors in the field of psychiatry .
4. Admission of the charged patient to a closed treatment unit for the purpose of assessment and providing a forensic psychiatric report about him
Section -11-2,3,and 4
Undertake the procedure of examining the charged patient and providing the needed forensic psychiatric report about him .


Requirements :-
1. There should be a clear decree from the investigation judge or the court ,clarifying exatly the reason of the requested report , or the included requests of the report .
2. using the special referral form accomponied by a summary of the case regarding the charged patient and its circumstances , and any notes about the behaviour of the patient , before and at the time and after committing the supposed crime if possible .
A copy of the referral should be sent to subdivision committee of that governorate ( when the forensic psychiatric committee available ) and which mentioned in section – 4 – of this law .
3. All report about the patients state ( mental or physical condition if present ) i.e the previous state should be enclosed with , and the type and periods of treatment given to the patient .
4. All social reports and documents stating the patients background should also be enclosed .
5. All detailed investigations papers in order to the details of event and statements of witnesses which could highlight , to understand the patients state he suffers from .
6. A working arrest warrant to confirm his detention , and this should be renewed when it is expired and the patient is not attending if necessary .
Conditions :-
1. The order of transferring a patient from prison , or detention centre to the hospital should come from the court or the investigation, judge which secure the transfer of the patient to the hospital or closed treatment unit .
2. To secure admission of the patient to the hospital or closed treatment unit within 7 days of issuing the requested referral for the purposeof presenting the patient to the above committee .
3. The detention of the patient should be done according to item 2 and 3 of section – 11 – in a closed treatment unit , and secured under psychiatric supervision , and the patient will be presented to the forensic psychiatric committee on a regular bases to prepare a psychiatric report about his mental and psychiatric state within 30 days , renewable up to 90 days without the need for the patient to attend the court .
4. The patient will be returned back by the police , after finishing and giving the needed report about him to the same place i.e the detention centre or the prison .
Special conditions :-
1. The committee has the right to send for all other independent sources in order to provide all medical and social informations which serve the purpose ( to give the needed forensic psychiatric report ) .
2. To aim at the , delicateness and caution in using and studying the formal documents , the committee will appoint certain people responsible for checking these documents ( formal and informal ) as will follow later on .
The forensic psychiatric report
General points :
The importance of the clinical medical opinian has a great role in outweighting the decision the court will take , depending on the meaning and the item of that opinian which included in the medical report presented before the court . There for the following points must be considered in writing any kind of this report :-
1. Referring to all preliminaries and indications the committee relied on .
2. Mentioning the ways linked these indications by making the forensic psychiatric opinian .
3. Confirmation and clarification of the medical condition ( mental illness ) which will be used as a defence in the court .
4. clarification of the elements linked to that mental illness and which can lead the patient to be risk to himself or other .
5. clarify the mechanism which affected the medical condition in causing to committee the crime through explanation the effect of this mechanism on insight and will , for example , the time of committing the crime .
6. The medical report should comprise all medical recommondations needed , such as admitting the patient for treatment , the type and time of this treatment if needed .
7. The element of the report should be an accurate answer to what investigation body or court asked .
8. The report should not refer to the charged patient as guilty or not , because this will be decided by the court .
Section – 12 – writing the report
1. taking in consideration the points mentioned above .
2. The report should contain evaluation , of the patient mental and psychiatric state and their effect on his insight and will at the time of committing the event .
3. Wheather the patient can stand before the court and his ability to plead himself .
4. Wheather the patient is a risk to himself and others .
5. The recommondation to treat the patient in a closed treatment unit improvement , or the cessation of his risk , if needed .


Section – 13 – one , two , three
Period :-
Unlimited unless the court define a special time , renewable and according patient ( charged ) state .
Requirements :-
The decision of the court which decided to send the patient to hospital , and whom a medical report had been issued about by a forensic psychiatric committee and which according to this report together what has the court believed that the patient is not responsible for the crime ( due to mental illness ) and the courts satifaction to send him to hospital for treatment .
Note :-
No one else apart from the court is entitled tosend charged patient subjected to section – 12 – of this law .
Conditions :-
1. Section – 13 – two refers that the sent patient who mentioned above . needs, treatment and rehablitation programme, until the disappearance of dengerouness risk , under the care of a doctor specialized in psychiatry , and who provides on a regularperiods reports about the patients mental and psychiatric state to the torensic psychiatric committee , which supervise the treatment procedure on a whole , and decides the new time of treatment , and the type of treatment after discussion with that psychiatrist .
2. Section – 13 – three refers that the court which sent the charged patient and who included on section – 12 – of the law , and after issuing the decision of treatment in a closed treatment unit , cannot discharge the patient mentioned in item one of section – 13 – unless at the recommondation ( by a report ) of the forensic psychiatric committee confirming his improvement and disappearance of risk .

The right to appeal against the forensic psychiatric report :-

Section – 13 – Four
Item 4 of this section refers that it is the right of the patient or next of kin or his lawyer or attorney general , or the subdivision committee to appeal against the decision of the forensic psychiatric committee issued according to section – 12 – of this law , before the appeal committee and within 30 days of the decision date .
Discharge from the closed treatment unit :-
The committee produce a report confirming that the patient , or patients state has improved , and the disappearance of his risk of dangerousness , the report also include the need of the patient for periodical follow up as well as the need for rehablitation programme and social adaptation , the patient will be referred back to the court to issue a suitable final decision .



Medical care after discharge from the closed treatment unit
Section – 14 –
When the patient returned back to the cour and according to the psychiatric report which contain the following :
1. The need of the patient to treatment in periodical way .
2. His need to undergo rehablitation programme , and social adaptation reguraly and which is decided by the national council of mental health .
3. The patient or his guarantor should define the geographical place he wishes to be follow up for treatment and usually will be his resident area .
4. The hospital or the treatment unit where the patient had been treated during his detention period provide all informations about his state and his need for treatment and the necassity to subject his to rehablitation programme , to the psychiatrist who will be responsible for his treatment .
5. The responsible medical officer will submitt medical report about patients treatment every 3 months in the first year , and every 6 months in the following years , to the subdivision committee in the governorate .
6. After treatment services will cease, according to the reports raised from subdivision committee to the national council of mental health and after discussion with the responsible medical officer , the detail will follow later .



Sending a charged patient for treatment and for a limited period
Section – 15 –
The court may send a patient ( with a charge ) and according to a report from forensic psychiatric committee for treatment in a closed unit until his improvement and which became clear to this committee that the responsibility of the patient is limited ( or partial ) .
The time is not specified exatly , unless the court define a determined period , and the court can cease this treatment time , depending on what its seen reasonable .
The requirements and the conditions are the same as in section – 13 – one and two only with the guaranty of right to appeal mentioned in section – 13 – four .
And in case the satisfaction of the forensic psychiatric committee . that the patient has improved , and he is no more a risk , he will be returned back to the court according to a report ( psychiatric ) including , treatment follow up only if this needed and especially in prison , or what can the court see reasonable .
Adherence of the patient's relatives to follow up the charged patients treatment and ensuring bringing hin to rehablitation programme's appointments
Section – 16 – as to what refer to section – 14 –
One of patients relative ( from first degree or who follows incase the first degree is not available ) guaranties before the court in writing , to follow up , patients treatment , by presenting the patient to the responsible medical officer ( responsible psychiatrist ) and to bring him to psychiatric and social rehablitations appointment .
- The guarantor or the patient verifies the geographical place ( usually Residency ) .
- The guarantor gives his or the patients address or any method they can easily be contacted .
- The patient should be periodically seen by the psychiatrist , and he should attend the rehablitation appointments in times .
The psychiatrist will raise reports every three months for the first year , to the subdivision committee , which will then pass these reports to the national council , then the reports will be raised every 6 months after that .
- The need for this follow up will cease , according to reports raised to the subdivision committee by the treating psychiatrist , and according to a request from the patient after a year from starting the treatment , and after every 6 months there after , to the subdivision committee , which will in turn , sends the patient to the closed treatment unit , for the purpose to present him before the forensic psychiatric committee , which will decide to cease the rehablitation treatment period , or extends it according to the need .

Special Note :-
As regar the patients included in section – 8 – one and two a guarantor ( and according to previous criteria ) may apply a commitement in writing to the hospital manager or the chairman of the forensic psychiatric committee , to bring the patient periodically for treatment , and rehablitation .
- He should specify the geographical side for treatment .
- The same procedures mentioned before should be undertaken .
- The need for this care will crease according to the psychiatric committees report or the opinian of two psychiatrists one of them should a forensic psychiatrist .

Treatment of a detained patient during spending his sentence which took his freedom or will
Section – 17 –
Requirements :-
1.A request to refer the detained ( in mate ) from Iraqi reformation office to a treatment unit for the puprose of treatment .
2. A warrant of arrest .
- Renewed according to treatments time .
- All paperwork and informations available in the medical unit in prison accompained by notes documented by nursing staff or those responsible for treatment .
Conditions :-
- The patient will be seen by the forensic committee in Baghdad to evalute his state and his need and place for treatment .
- The report issued by the committee should fix a treatment time , renewable according to development of cases changes .
- The Iraqi reformation office , has the to finish the treatment time , incase of when the sentence becomes near to end , and in this case , the specialized medicalcommittee will provide a report containing the need to follow up treatment when the inmate released , and will be treated if he is still in need for treatment and according to requirements deal with patients included in section – 8 – and which mentioned in explanation of section – 16 – within the special note .
- The inmate patient will be treated in the treatment unit under supervision of a specialist psychiatrist , also will be examined periodically by the above committee unit his improvement , or a request to return him back to Iraqi information office .
- The above committee should inform both , the subdivision committee and reformation office in case of admission to discharge from closed treatment unit .

Chapter Five
Punishment Verdicts :
Checking information and punishment who produces reports contrary to truth .
Section – 18 –
All produced documents ( formal and informal ) will be subjected to chek by special persons appointed for this purpose above .
As concerns as the formal papers – and when there is any mistake , they will returned to producing or issuing side for correction .
As concerns as the informal reports or informations , and where they contradict the fact , or forged papers , section – 18 – one and two specified a punishment verdict or imprisonment for no longer than a year and a fine of no more than 100.000 L.D for those who committed this offence.
The violation of the written commitement mentioned in section – 16 – of this law
Section – 18 – three
The guarantor mentioned in section – 16 – of this land as regared section – 18 – i.e the charged patient , subjected after the disappearance of his to a social rehablitation programme and especially the patient ( charged ) whom sentenced by the court to detain him in a closed treatment unit , until the disappearance of his risk this guarantor and in case of violation of his comitement to present the patient to a treatment unit for examination periodically , will be subjected to the same punishments mentioned in section – 18 –


This section ( 18 three ) doesnot include the guarantor of patient under section ( 8 ) of this law .

Chapter Six
General and final rules
Section – 19 –
This section allows the police to arrest individuals whom reported to behave in an odd behaviours , or unusual and against the public general moral and ethics, or their behaviour is a risk to themselve, or the society .
The police will in turn bring these individual to a closed treatment unit to present them to the forensic psychiatric committee within ( 72 ) hour , and in case the referred individual is a mental patient needing treatment the committee will decide , type and time of treatment and according to section 7 , and the patient will be dealt with the same way , dealing with patient under section – 8 – one and two .
The report provided by the committee will be passed to the specialized investigation judge to get agreement for detention and compulsory treatment .



Section – 20 – and section – 21 –
It is not possible what so ever the forensic psychiatric services to be carried out in good way , and to improve it , and securing all suitable conditions , without the availability of these unit , wheather at the level of buildings or the multidisplinary team such as medical , rehablitation and others, there for section 20 of this law , states , to encourage the ministry of health ( with the cooperation of the council and related bodies ) to prepare the availability of these treatment units in all governorates , and section 21 stated the importance of continuos communication and discussion with the minister of health to facilitate excusion of this law .
Important Reasons
The important reasons , comprise the new viewof how to deal with individuals suffer from psychiatric and mental disorders by finding the skelton which works through by an orgnisation able to develop, its purpose is to provide and secure medical services for patients and enssure their human and social rights which include their improvement and disappearance of risk of dangerousness due to the nature of the illness , wheather this risk to patients or others , also the law aim at co-operation of all related side to participitate achievement of the objective above , or ensuring steadliness of practicality and scientically how to work between all forensic psychiatric committees and other specialities in this field ( medically ) and with forensic sides specialized in law .

( Finished with help of god )
June 2005