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Know Your Rights
Understanding mental health law shouldn’t feel overwhelming.
Plain-language information about your rights, mental health care and what to expect when navigating the mental health system in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Know your rights. Know what to expect.
When someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, questions about hospitalization, consent, privacy and involuntary admission can add another layer of uncertainty.
Know Your Rights was created to make that information clearer.
The series offers accessible, compassionate information about mental health law in Newfoundland and Labrador — helping people better understand their rights, the legal process and what they may encounter while receiving care.
4
Videos
5 – 15 min
Each
NL Focused
Information and Resources
Expert-Informed
Legal + mental health perspectives
Watch the Series
Four conversations designed to make mental health law clearer, more understandable, and less intimidating.
Mental Health Stigma: Understanding, Listening, and Learning
Mental health stigma can show up in institutions, communities, media, and even in the way we judge ourselves. In this conversation, mental health nurse Janice Preston and psychiatrist Dr. Michael Gilbert explore where stigma comes from, how stereotypes can shape our understanding of mental illness, and what we can do to challenge them. They emphasize the importance of education, lived experience, peer support, openness, and listening — while reinforcing that mental illness can affect people from every background and walk of life.
In this video
- How stigma and stereotypes around mental illness develop
- The role of education and lived experience in reducing stigma
- Why listening and understanding matter
- How mental illness can affect anyone
Involuntary Admission: What to Expect
What happens when someone is admitted to hospital for mental health treatment involuntarily? Mental health nurse Janice Preston and psychiatrist Dr. Michael Gilbert explain when involuntary admission may be considered, what care can look like in hospital, and what someone can expect during their stay. They also address common fears and stigma, with a focus on individualized care, support, and recovery.
In this video
- When involuntary admission may be considered
- What inpatient mental health care can involve
- What a typical stay may look like
- Recovery, support and reducing stigma
Your Rights Under the Mental Health Care and Treatment Act
What rights do you have if you are admitted to hospital involuntarily for mental health treatment? Lawyers Rhona Buchan and Jennifer Curran explain Newfoundland and Labrador’s Mental Health Care and Treatment Act, including how involuntary admission works, the role of Legal Aid, and a patient’s right to have their status reviewed. They also walk through the safeguards designed to ensure patients are informed, heard, and not kept in hospital involuntarily longer than necessary.
In this video
- What the Mental Health Care and Treatment Act does
- Your rights during an involuntary admission
- How Legal Aid can help
- How the review process works
Community Treatment Orders: Care and Rights in the Community
What happens when someone needs ongoing mental health treatment after leaving hospital? In this video, lawyers Rhona Buchan and Jennifer Curran explain community treatment orders under Newfoundland and Labrador’s Mental Health Care and Treatment Act, including when they may be used, what supports can be included in a treatment plan, and how they are intended to reduce repeated hospitalizations. They also discuss the role of ACT teams, the right to legal advice and review, and the safeguards in place to ensure these orders remain appropriate and responsive to the individual’s needs.
In this video
- What a community treatment order is
- When a CTO may be used
- What community-based supports can include
- Your right to legal advice and review
We are grateful for the support of the The Law Foundation, whose partnership makes this important work possible.