The Provincial Government is moving forward in enhancing services for mental health consumers as outlined in the new Mental Health Care and Treatment Act, which took effect October 1, 2007. The Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Health and Community Services, today announced appointments to the Mental Health Care and Treatment Review Board.

"The individuals who make up this board collectively represent a wealth of knowledge and experience and, even more importantly, a commitment to high quality care for those with mental illness," said Minister Wiseman. "The establishment of the new Mental Health Care and Treatment Review Board and the appointments announced today are important steps by this government that will benefit individuals detained under the authority of the Mental Health Care and Treatment Act."

The new act implements critical safeguards to help ensure the protection of the rights of those who are detained under the legislation. These measures include the hiring of patients rights advisors who provide help and information to individuals and families and the implementation of mandatory reviews for those detained for a period of 60 days or more. The Mental Health Care and Treatment Review Board conducts these mandatory reviews, in addition to reviewing cases at the request of an individual involuntarily detained or a representative identified by the individual.

The board comprises 13 individuals including four members of the public, five lawyers, and four physicians, each with an interest or knowledge of mental health issues. The role of the board was established during the development of the new act in consultation with consumers, service providers, community groups, and others who share an interest in mental health issues.

"The processes for the board ensure that reviews are done in a timely fashion and that individuals impacted by mental illness are aware of, and exercise, their rights," said Minister Wiseman. "Additionally, appointing members of the public with an interest in mental health issues to the board ensures that the perspective of mental health consumers is taken into account during reviews."

The Provincial Government invested $800,000 in Budget 2007 to support the new Mental Health Care and Treatment Act, which replaced legislation over 30 years old. It contains several significant changes from the previous act including new eligibility criteria; provision of a range of individual rights and protections; the creation of the roles of rights advisors and patient representatives; and, the provision of community treatment orders.

The act can be viewed at //www.gov.nl.ca/hoa/bills/Bill0661.htm.

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John Ennis, a general practitioner with Parsons Ennis Moores Law Firm, has been practising law since 1984. His practice areas include personal injuries, real estate, criminal law, divorce and family law as well as professional and disciplinary proceedings. Mr. Ennis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Memorial University and is a graduate of the Osgoode Hall Law School.

John McGrath, QC, has been practisng law since 1974. He has worked in private practice since 1977. He has served on many boards and committees, including the Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission Board and Appeals Board and the Rules Committee of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador. Additionally, Mr. McGrath has served as a volunteer for many community committees and organizations during the past 30 years.

Sandra Burke was admitted to the bar in 1989 and has been with Dawe and Burke Barristers and Solicitors since that time. Ms. Burke specializes in family law and has been active with the Canadian Mental Health Association as a board member, president and member of the Family Support Network. She has been voted one of the best lawyers in Canada by the National Post and has received the National Distinguished Service Award and the Dr. Clarence Pottle Award from the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Kimberly McLennan is a senior associate with Roebothan McKay Marshall. Ms. McLennan was appointed to the Board of Referees with the Employment Insurance Commission for a three-year term and served as director of the Margaret Acreman Foundation. Ms. McLennan graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of New Brunswick, where she earned many distinctions, including the Smith, Lyons prize in Advocacy.

Judy White was admitted to the bar in 1998 and is currently a partner in McDonald White law firm, where she specializes in Aboriginal-related law and policy development for First Nations. Ms. White serves as the self government advisor and acting director of justice for the Miaqpukek First Nation. Additionally, Ms. White has served as a volunteer for many community committees and organizations during the past 33 years.

Dr. Delores Doherty is a developmental/behavioral pediatrician. She has been extensively involved in child protection work and is the former director of the Child Development Program at Eastern Health. In 1993, while continuing clinical work with the program and providing service for traveling clinics in rural Newfoundland, Dr. Doherty founded Aspens & Oaks, a community consultation and counseling service for the Avalon area, where she currently provides consultative services to adults with disabilities who have mental health and behavioral concerns.

Dr. Alec Wayne Brace has been practising medicine for over 30 years in urban and rural Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as New Brunswick and Ontario. He is currently a consultant psychiatrist and a consultant for forensic psychiatry with the Department of Justice.

Dr. Allan J. McComiskey, began his medical practice 30 years ago in Dublin, Ireland, before moving to Lourdes, Newfoundland and Labrador. He is currently Chief of Staff at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital in Stephenville and an Associate Clinical Lecturer in Family Practice at Memorial University. Dr. McComiskey has also been an active member of the executive of the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, having served as chair on various committees and as president from 1998 to 1999.

Dr. Ted Rosales began his medical career in Buffalo, New York in 1963, before becoming a senior pediatric resident at the Children�s Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Rosales moved to central Newfoundland in 1980 where he headed up the pediatric teaching unit and has spent the remainder of his career working as a consultant pediatrician and geneticist in various hospitals across the province as well as in Labrador as a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) consultant. He currently works in a private consulting practice focused on FASD for Newfoundland and Labrador and the Atlantic provinces.

Brenda Kelly is a nurse with 33 years experience in the Newfoundland and Labrador health care system. This experience includes roles as a nurse manager in psychiatry, mental health supervisor and associate director of patient care services at the Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre in Grand Falls�Windsor and, most recently, facility director for the Dr. Hugh Twomey Health Care Centre in Botwood. Ms. Kelly also sits on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Sam Kean comes from a lengthy career in the public sector with significant expertise in economic development. Having started his career as an assistant director with the Department of Finance, Mr. Kean moved on to become deputy registrar and inspector with the Department of Consumer Affairs and Environment and then the executive director of the Economic Recovery Committee and Enterprise Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Kean was also Assistant Deputy Minister for Regional Economic Development in the Department of Development and Rural Renewal before entering the private sector as a consultant.

Moyra Buchan holds a diploma in social work from the University of Stirling in Scotland. She began her career in this province as a social worker in the home care program in St. John�s and in psychiatric units. She also served as a mediator and assessor for child custody and access cases for the Unified Family Court. She was executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Newfoundland and Labrador Division, and has spent the past five years working as a consultant on various projects relating to mental health. Additionally, Ms. Buchan has served as a volunteer for many community committees and organizations during the past 25 years.

Mary Pia Benuen worked as a community health translator before becoming a registered nurse. She has worked as an acute care nurse and community care nurse in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Sheshatshiu, as well as a community health planner for Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation. She currently works as a FASD co-ordinator with the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation.