Psychiatric advocate wants security guard law sensitive to mental illness.

TORONTO -- Exclude the use of force and intimidation specifically from security personnel duties, the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office is asking an Ontario legislature committee as it considers amendments to the Private Investigators and Security Guards Act. The Office wants the committee to strengthen some provisions to acknowledge the special circumstances and unique needs of individuals with mental illness who come into contact With security personnel.

These are some of the recommendations the PPAO made to committee considering revisions to the Act:

* require an examination following training and an annual certification process to ensure that all security personnel are in good standing;

* training specific to mental health and patients' rights in Ontario be developed to create greater awareness of and sensitivity to the unique needs of mental health consumers;

* security personnel who are employed in hospitals and mental health programs be required to take additional training on the needs of the mentally ill;

* provisions allowing for non-parties to lay a complaint not be removed from the legislation but instead be viewed as an accountability mechanism;

* continue to require security guards to be insured and that these provisions not be removed from the legislation;

* all security personnel be required to take training in de-escalation techniques, non-violent crisis intervention and other courses which will help to minimize the risk of force with mental health consumers;

* those drafting the regulations consult broadly with mental health consumers, advocates, families, service providers and other stakeholders in the drafting of the training materials and Code of Conduct for security personnel.

The statement to the committee was signed by David Simpson, Acting Director of the Psychiatric Patients Advocate Office.

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