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Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017

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

111: Assisting patient to be absent from treatment centre without leave

You could also call this:

"Helping patients leave treatment without permission is against the law"

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

If you are in charge of a treatment centre or work there, you must follow the rules. You cannot help a patient leave without permission or make it easier for them to leave without permission. If you do, you can get in trouble with the law.

If you help a patient who has already left without permission to avoid being caught, you can also get in trouble. This is because you are not supposed to help patients break the rules. You are supposed to follow the rules and make sure patients do too.

If you break these rules, you might have to go to prison for up to three months or pay a fine of up to $1,000. This is what can happen if you get caught and found guilty. You will have to face the consequences of your actions.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6609272.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal lawHealth and wellbeing > Mental health
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110: Neglect or ill-treatment of patients, or

"Looking after patients: no hurting or neglecting them on purpose"

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112: Obstruction of inspection, or

"Don't stop inspectors from doing their job at a treatment centre"

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

111Assisting patient to be absent from treatment centre without leave

  1. This section applies to—

  2. the manager of a treatment centre:
    1. a person employed or engaged by the manager or the service that operates the treatment centre.

      1. A person to whom this section applies commits an offence if the person—

      2. intentionally permits or assists a patient who is detained in a treatment centre to become, or to attempt to become, absent without leave from the treatment centre; or
        1. facilitates a patient’s absence or attempted absence without leave from a treatment centre; or
          1. intentionally assists any patient who is absent without leave from a treatment centre to avoid, or to attempt to avoid, being apprehended or being taken to a treatment centre.

            1. A person who commits an offence against this section is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 months or to a fine not exceeding $1,000.