The bill, signed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, establishes, for the first time, oversight of mental health care through the Ministry of Health and creates a national advisory body on mental health issues. The Mental Health Act also protects the property of people with mental health conditions. The enactment of this Mental Health Act was needed to markedly improve the health and lives of all Liberians,” said Dr. Eve Byrd, Carter Center Mental Health Program Director. Now it has four psychiatrists and more than 230 mental health clinicians working in health and mental health settings and in communities throughout the country. Since 2010, The Carter Center’s Mental Health Program has worked with partners to train mental health clinicians to establish new services in communities.

Source: Front Page Africa December 01, 2017 04:52 UTC