Annual Report 2015
high level of security in a national institution is required. In such cases, too, a great
deal needs to be done to bring about a rapid transition to an urban or regional
facility. In following up this advice, the DJI has started up a small-scale youth
detention facility pilot.
"Difficult-to-place youths" in institutions for enhanced youth care and
youth mental healthcare
Youths who suffer from a mental disorder and also display seriously disruptive
behaviour are not, at present, always given the care they need. It concerns about
fifty youths. These youths, who reside in a youth care plus or youth mental
healthcare institution, are regularly transferred because the institution cannot cope
sufficiently with their complex issues. This transfer often aggravates the problems.
The RSJ therefore argues for the provision of appropriate care at the location where
the youth is placed, so that a transfer is not necessary. So, the starting point should
be to ensure, in the first place, the best possible placement and the provision of
care on location. A necessary condition to effect this is for local authorities and the
government agency responsible for youth care to be in charge of the placement.
Institutions can gain more expertise and find more solutions if there is more
intensive collaboration and, if necessary, use is made of (national) expertise such as
that of the Consultation and Expertise Centre.
Recommendations in this advisory report are designed to accelerate the previously
initiated collaboration between institutions and to allow separate (cooperative)
initiatives to develop into general practice. The recommendation is, therefore, not
only addressed to the State Secretary of Health, Welfare and Sport, as the party
responsible for the system, but also to municipal authorities, as the entities
responsible for the youth care, and to those involved in the implementation of the
youth care, such as youth care plus facilities and the youth mental healthcare
organisation. At the time this annual report was drawn up, the relevant government
members had not yet provided their response to the advice.
Second Memorandum of Amendment of the Compulsory Mental Healthcare
Act
The Compulsory Mental Healthcare Bill concerns the compulsory treatment - both
ambulatory and clinical - of persons suffering from mental health problems. The
Second Memorandum of Amendment of the Compulsory Mental Healthcare Act not
only intends to amend the Compulsory Mental Healthcare Act, but also to
substantially amend the Forensic Care Bill and the Care and Compulsion
(Psychogeriatric and Intellectually Disabled Persons) Bill, such with a view of better
aligning the three proposed Acts. The RSJ is of the opinion that the better alignment
of these proposed Acts by the Memorandum is a positive development and it
heartily endorses its purpose of promoting the progression of patients within the
mental healthcare system.
In its advice, the RSJ mainly considered the alignment of the Compulsory Mental
Healthcare Act and the Forensic Care Act. Its conclusions are as follows:
•
the continuity of care between forensic care and regular mental healthcare is
as yet insufficiently safeguarded and promoted;
•
the legal position of forensic patients treated under the Compulsory Mental
Healthcare Act (and the Care and Compulsion (Psychogeriatric and
Intellectually Disabled Persons) Act) is as yet insufficiently clear;
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