Mental Illness and Human rights

 The Ontario Human  Rights Code allows for human rights for people with mental health issues and addiction issues.  I have not been able to find much information online about the rights of people with mental illness and addiction problems in Nova Scotia.  There is a little but not much.

The code allows for equality in opportunities and rights.  The code is also against discrimination.  Our rights need to be imputed to us in "employment, housing, goods, facilities and services, contracts, and memberships in unions, trade, or professional associations.   

There is a process called the duty to accommodate.  The accommodation is provided in services, housing, and employment.  Normally it doesn't happen until the person instigates the process.  There are times though when the person will not seek accommodation.  When a housing provider, employer, and service provider recognizes a problem with the persons mental health they are obligated to provide accommodation.   

Organizations are under obligation to create services and policies that include those with mental health issues and addictions.  They need to be included in employment, housing, and society as a whole.

Accommodation is a combined effort between all parties involved.

There is a lot of stigma attached to mental illness and addiction.  There are obstacles to finding a job.  The code safeguards a person from being discriminated against when applying for work, and being let go, or advancement in a job.  All this happens because of prejudice against those who are ill.  If accommodating someone causes undue hardship then the employee is allowed to be terminated.

People with mental illness and/or addictions have a very difficult time finding a place to live.  It is because landowners have  a lot of stigma, prejudice, and discrimination towards those that are ill.  Landowners have the obligation to accommodate those with these issues.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) states that those who offer services to the public must provide those services to those with mental illness and addictions that does not discriminate against them.  They receive equal treatment with those who are not ill.  

Here are some of the services that are listed in the code.  

• schools and universities
• shops, restaurants, and gyms
• hospitals, and health care organizations
• police and the court system
• insurance
• government services

People with mental health and addition issues have exactly the same rights as those in the rest of society.  We have made progress in having this populations rights being imputed unto them but we still have a long long way to go.  The government is trying to do their part but not necessarily making  much progress.  The major drawback is how society as a whole treats those with mental illness and addiction problems.  We need to stand up and fight for our rights.

Source

Human rights and Metal Health (fact sheet) Ontario Human Rights Commission. Sept 12 2020.

<http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/human-rights-and-mental-health-fact-sheet>