If you have a serious or chronic mental illness, you have legal rights under federal and state law. Some of these rights include:
- The right to appropriate mental health services based on your individual needs;
- The right to participate in all phases of your mental health treatment, including individual service plan (ISP) meetings;
- The right to a discharge plan upon discharge from a hospital;
- The right to consent to or refuse treatment (except in an emergency or by court order);
- The right to treatment in the least restrictive setting;
- The right to freedom from unnecessary seclusion or restraint;
- The right not to be physically, sexually, or verbally abused;
- The right to privacy (mail, visits, telephone conversations);
- The right to file an appeal or grievance when you disagree with the services you receive or your rights are violated;
- The right to choose a designated representative(s) to assist you in ISP meetings and in filing grievances;
- The right to a case manager to work with you in obtaining the services you need;
- The right to a written ISP that sets forth the services you will receive;
- The right to associate with others;
- The right to confidentiality of your psychiatric records;
- The right to obtain copies of your own psychiatric records (unless it would not be in your best interests to have them);
- The right to appeal a court-ordered involuntary commitment and to consult with an attorney and to request judicial review of court-ordered commitment every 60 days;
- The right not to be discriminated against in employment or housing.
If you would like information about your rights, you may request a copy of the "Your Rights in Arizona as an Individual with Serious Mental Illness" brochure or you may also call the Administration, Office of Human Rights at 1-800-421-2124.
Ariz. Admin. Code tit. 9, ch. 21, art. 2, exh. A