People who have a mental illness and who come in contact with the law have special needs. The mental health system or the criminal justice system alone cannot always meet those needs. The forensic mental health system is the place where the mental health system and the criminal justice system meet.

The forensic mental health system can be confusing for people who have a mental illness. The legal system can be intimidating and a client's freedom may be limited. Many new people may suddenly become involved in the client's life, including police, lawyers, judges, doctors and members of review boards.

This guide is designed to help clients and their families find their way through this system.

The guide:

• • outlines who works in the forensic mental health system
• • describes what happens inside this system, and what a forensic assessment is
• • explains what the Ontario Review Board is
• • discusses accepting or refusing treatment
• • explores living in a forensic mental health setting
• • discusses family involvement.

This unique and important guide will be useful to anyone involved in the forensic mental health system, including clients and their families, police officers, lawyers, patient advocates, doctors and other professionals.

Shannon Bettridge, M.A., travaille au Programme psycho-légal du Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale à Toronto, en Ontario. Le programme offre un continuum de soins qui comprend des services d’évaluation, de traitement, de réadaptation, de gestion de la sécurité, de supervision dans la collectivité, de consultation ainsi que des services spécialisés.

Shannon Bettridge's profile page

Howard Barbaree is a forensic psychologist and professor in the law and mental health program in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and vice-president (interim), Research and Academics, at the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. Dr. Barbaree has served as the head of the law and mental health program in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and as clinical director of the Law and Mental Health Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Dr. Barbaree has taught in the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University where he was promoted to the rank of professor. In 2000, Dr. Barbaree received the Significant Achievement Award from the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. In 2011, he was awarded the Don Andrews Career Contribution Award from the Criminal Justice Section of the Canadian Psychology Association. Dr. Barbaree has also served as the editor-in-chief of the journal Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment.

Howard Barbaree's profile page