From The Guardian: “Black people are more than four times more likely to be detained under the act and more than 10 times more likely to be subject to a community treatment order.
The package of reforms includes piloting culturally appropriate advocates . . . [and] will also ensure neither autism nor a learning disability are grounds for detention under the act and improve access to community-based mental health support to prevent avoidable sections.
The proposals have been welcomed by mental health advocates, who have described it as an important step forward to treating people with respect and dignity.
Sarah Hughes, Centre for Mental Health chief executive, said: ‘The need for change could not be clearer. Every year, the number of people who are sectioned grows. While we know this can save lives, increasing use of coercion can also cause lasting trauma and distress. And we continue to see that black people are subjected to much higher levels of coercion at every stage of the system.'”
