Parliament adopts amendments to Law on Mental Health in the first reading

The Georgian Parliament reviewed amendments to the Law on Mental Health and related draft laws, in the first reading under an expedited procedure, and supported them with 78 votes pro.

The reporter, Irakli Shatakishvili, First Deputy Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee, presented the amendments to the lawmakers.

Based on the amendments to the Law on Mental Health, once a month, following the commencement of compulsory psychiatric treatment, a special commission of the psychiatric institution shall review the case and determine whether the grounds on which the treatment was ordered still exist. Decisions of the commission concerning both compulsory and involuntary psychiatric treatment may be appealed through administrative proceedings.

Every six months following the imposition of compulsory psychiatric treatment, the administration shall submit the commission’s decision, together with the relevant documentation, to the court. The court shall examine whether the grounds on which the treatment was imposed continue to exist.

Under the amendments, the attending physician shall retain the authority to refer the matter to the commission at any time if they consider that the patient has recovered before the expiry of the prescribed treatment period.