The Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced a revision of the Mental Health Act which regards mental patients as people who have significant restriction to engaging in daily life because of delusions and hallucinations.
It narrowed the scope of the specific patients who need hospital treatment.
Accordingly, about 3 million mild case patients will soon be able to engage in social activities without due to the discrimination law.
In the process of issuing the insurance products, discrimination such as receiving premiums or denying insuring policies based solely on a history of mental illness is prohibited.
Extending the function of health promotion centers and the National Institute for Mental Health is also included in the revision.
Lim Jong-gyu, director of health policy at the ministry, said, “This revision focused on the elimination of social prejudice and discrimination about mental illness and mental health for all citizens”.