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Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017

Assessment and treatment of persons suffering from severe substance addiction - Assessment

19: Arrangements for specialist assessment

You could also call this:

"Getting a specialist to check if you need help with substance addiction"

Illustration for Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017

When someone applies to have you assessed for substance addiction under section 14, the Area Director or an authorised officer must arrange for you to see a specialist as soon as possible. The Area Director or officer must choose a specialist who is approved to assess you, and this cannot be the same doctor who signed your medical certificate under section 17. They must also decide where and when the assessment will happen, and give you a written notice with this information.

You will get a written notice that tells you where and when to go for the assessment, and it will explain why you need to be assessed. The notice will also tell you the name of the specialist who will assess you. Someone will explain the notice to you, and a family member, caregiver, or someone who cares about you can be with you when this happens. If you need help getting to the assessment, arrangements will be made to assist you.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6609160.

Topics:
Health and wellbeing > Mental healthHealth and wellbeing > Public healthCrime and justice > Criminal law
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18: Memorandum by authorised officer, or

"A report by a helper when a doctor can't examine someone with a possible substance addiction"

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20: Certain approved specialists to undertake assessment of child or young person, if practicable, or

"A specially trained doctor or expert will assess you if you're a child or young person who needs help."

Part 2Assessment and treatment of persons suffering from severe substance addiction
Assessment

19Arrangements for specialist assessment

  1. On receipt of an application under section 14 for the assessment of a person, the Area Director, or an authorised officer acting with the authority of that Area Director, must, as soon as practicable, make the necessary arrangements for the person to be assessed by an approved specialist.

  2. The arrangements required by subsection (1) include the following:

  3. nominating the approved specialist who is to assess the person, not being the medical practitioner who signed the medical certificate under section 17:
    1. determining, in consultation with that approved specialist, where and when the assessment is to be made:
      1. giving the person to be assessed a written notice that—
        1. requires him or her to attend at the place and time specified in the notice for the purposes of the assessment; and
          1. explains the purpose of the assessment; and
            1. states the name of the approved specialist:
            2. ensuring that the contents of the notice given under paragraph (c) are explained to the person to be assessed in the presence of a member of the person’s family, or a caregiver of the person or anyone else concerned with the welfare of the person:
              1. ensuring, if necessary, that appropriate arrangements are made to assist the person to be at the place where the specialist assessment is to be conducted at the required time.

                Compare
                • 1992 No 46 s 9