PATIENTS RIGHTS ADVOCACY - IMPLICATIONS FOR PROGRAM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION

Individuals held in mental health care facilities often have been depr ived of their basic civil and legal rights. In Canada and the United S tates, legislation now exists to ensure the protection of these rights , and advocacy programs have been developed to apply and enforce this legislation. It is important for mental health professionals to be awa re of the relevance and need for advocacy programs. Equally important is the appreciation of the structural issues involved in developing an d administering advocacy programs. In examining a number of patients' rights advocacy programs, strengths, weaknesses, and general success f actors are identified. Recommendations are then made for the developme nt, implementation, and modification of advocacy programs. A review of this area indicates a need for empirical research in a number of area s, and directions for future research are discussed.