Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

A Reason to Hope.  The Means to Cope.

Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act (IPTA)

Website: www.gov.ns.ca/health/mhs/ipta.asp

For information on how the IPTA may apply to your specific situation, contact the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia at (902) 465-2601 or 1-800-465-2601 (toll-free in Nova Scotia).

For a listing of the Supreme Court (Family Division) locations in Nova Scotia, click here.

A pertinent section of the IPTA for family members and supporters

13 (1) Any person may make a written statement under oath or affirmation before a judge requesting an order for the medical examination of another person by a physician and setting out the reasons for the request, and the judge shall receive the statement.

(2) A judge who receives a statement under subsection (1) shall consider the statement and, where the judge considers it not to be frivolous, vexatious or malicious, hear and consider, after appropriate notice has been given to both parties, the allegations of the person who made the statement and the evidence of any witnesses.

(3) A judge under subsection (2) may, where the judge considers it necessary under the circumstances, proceed with the hearing ex parte.

(4) The judge may issue an order for the medical examination of the other person if the judge has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that the other person

(a) has a mental disorder;

(b) will not consent to undergo a medical examination by a physician; and

(c) as a result of the mental disorder,

(i) is threatening or attempting to cause serious harm to self or has recently done so, or has recently caused serious harm to self,

(ii) is seriously harming or is threatening serious harm towards another person or has recently done so, or

(iii) is likely to suffer serious physical impairment or serious mental deterioration, or both.

(5) An order under subsection (4) for the medical examination of a person by a physician shall direct

(a) a member of a police force named in the order; or

(b) an individual named in the order,

or both, to take the person named or described in the order into custody and take the person forthwith to a place where the person may be detained for the medical examination.

(6) An order under subsection (4) is valid for a period of seven days from and including the day that it is made.