Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE MCT1004

 
TITLE Mental Health Law

 
UM LEVEL 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Media, Communications & Technology Law

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit will introduce students to the key principles of mental health law, taking into account both legislation in force and, if relevant, past legislation. This will be done by focusing on domestic law and policy duly substantiated, where appropriate, with international legal norms and principles. The study-unit will hence deal with topics such as, inter alia, voluntary and involuntary admission under the Mental Health Act, capacity, community treatment and the definition of a mental disorder at law.

Study-unit Aims:

1. To introduce students to the norms and principles which underlie mental health law.
2. To familiarise students with the rights and interests of individuals who have a mental disorder.
3. To familiarise students with legislation regulating the provision of mental health services, care and rehabilitation.
4. To give students a basic understanding of mental health law, in order to then have the pediments upon which to conduct further study and research.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

a. List and explain, in a written assignment, key components of domestic mental health law;
b. Begin critically evaluating and appraising, within a written assignment, legislation and policy pertaining to the regulation of mental health services.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

a. Analyze mental health law in such a manner as to result in a written assignment which demonstrates good knowledge of the pertinent jurisprudential principles;
b. Interpret domestic legislation pertaining to the regulation of mental health services in light of pertinent norms and principles, both national and international, in such a manner as to demonstrate proper use of mental health law by way of a written assignment.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Mental Health Act , Chapter 262 of the Laws of Malta.
- Mental Health Act, Chapter 525 of the Laws of Malta.
- Jurisprudence arising from the Council of Europe, particularly the European Court of Human Rights (Available online via the HUDOC database).
- Ministry for Health (Malta), Building resilience, transforming services: A mental health strategy for Malta 2020 – 2030 (July 2019).

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Students taking this study-unit need to have a background in law or otherwise be reading toward attaining an undergraduate degree in law.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Presentation SEM2 No 10%
Assignment SEM2 Yes 90%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit